Rays of Moonlight
by SilverWolfAnimagus17
Summary: When Voldemort's plan to weaken Harry by killing Hermione fails, Hermione is the victim of a tragic fate. She runs away, determined to hide and protect her friends and family from the monster she has become.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does.

A/N: My first novel length fanfic. Starts after "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" and the Horcruxes are just a back ground topic. Please Enjoy and please Read & Review!

Rays of Moonlight 

A seventeen, almost eighteen, year old witch slowly trudged through the dimly lit woods with her hands shoved deep into her jean pockets, her shoulders slumped. Her brown, curly hair (once extremely bushy and frizzy) swayed along with her slow steps. Her chocolate brown eyes, so full of sadness and worry, were staring at her feet the entire time, never looking up.

It had been about a week sense the funeral for their beloved Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, who was ruthlessly murdered by their former Potions Professor Severus Snape. The days before the funeral were spent trying to put Hogwarts into better shape after the battle that had taken place.

Hermione thought about the funeral and stopped abruptly, closed her eyes, and let tears start to slide down her face for the hundredth time since the night it happened. She had always hated to cry, but these days, she couldn't do anything but. She stood there, taking deep breaths until got her tears under control.

Sliver moonlight lit up her face as the clouds moved out of the way, revealing a calm, bright full moon. Hermione looked up at the moon and a small smile appeared on her face. The moon had always calmed her, even as a young child. She stared at the moon until more clouds moved to cover it, the fading light taking her peacefulness with it, leaving darkness surrounding her.

She sighed. _I should probably get home soon, _she thought. She looked down at her watch, finding that it was pasted 1 o'clock. She turned and started to head back, thinking of how Harry, the Weasleys, the Order, and Hogwarts were doing without the humble guidance of Dumbledore.

Hermione started the walk back to her safe, warm house, occasionally stumbling over a rock or fallen branch, but she never fell, thankfully. Behind her, the moon was starting to peak out from behind the looming clouds. Rays of silver moonlight were starting to dimly light the path in front of Hermione.

CRACK!

Hermione turned with surprising agility, her wand pointing at the space where she had heard a branch break. _It's just your imagination,_ she thought. _You just a little tired and stressed is all. Just keep walking. _Hermione let a quiet laugh escape her mouth, caused from her foolishness and fear. She was a Gyffindor! Considering all she had been through, she shouldn't be scared of a branch breaking.

She walked on, her path now fully lit by the moon behind her. Her heart was still beating wildly, but she steadied her breath and continued her trek back to her house.

CRACK! SNAP!

Hermione started to walk a little faster, almost at a jogging pace.

CRACK! SNAP! CRACK! GROWL!

It sounded as though something was running towards her from behind. She broke into a run, now hearing panting, growling, and the scrapping of dagger-like claws on rock. Her breath was now coming in heavy, painful gasped and she desperately grabbed hold of her wand, which was sticking out of her pocket. She turned with her wand in hand, prepared to fight, just in time to see a gigantic mass lunge at her, snarling.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does.

A/N: Hope everyone is enjoying it so far…. Remember to Read & Review! Any criticism is appreciated… I'm still learning.

Warning: Violence and gore in this chapter

The large figure tackled Hermione to the hard ground, knocking the breath out of her. The beast smelled awful, like rotten meat and wet dog mixed together. It loomed over her; its huge, yellow teeth (with stains of red) were shining in the moonlight. She looked into its black, soulless eyes and she saw death.

The beast's claws sank into both her shoulders painfully and she cried out. _Oh God! I'm going to die!... No! I won't. I'll at least go fighting!_ Hermione gritted her teeth and raised her knee forcefully into the beast's vulnerable stomach. The beast yowled in pain and released Hermione enough for her to escape and roll over. She grabbed her wand, which was knocked out of her hands when the beast lunged at her, and shot a Banishing charm at it, which missed.

The beast snarled in anger and lunged again. Its claws cut through her soft flesh on her chest, stomach and arms, making blood start to leak out. Hermione screamed in pain and fear while the beast released its claws and pinned her on her back. She thrashed but all that did was make the beast even angrier. Its mouth opened up and, with impossible human speed, lunged its head down and bit into Hermione's left shoulder.

She screamed. She screamed until her voice was hoarse. White stars erupted in her vision and her stomach churned as she heard the beast's teeth scrap against her crushed shoulder bone. Her whole world was pain. White, hot, unpleasant pain. All thoughts about the past year at Hogwarts left her mind and she couldn't think about anything beside what she was feeling now.

Time seemed to stop. She never knew how loud she was screaming. Hermione never heard the scuttles of many pairs of feet running towards her. She never heard the gun shot ring through the air. She never heard the beast howl in pain and leap off of her, running at full speed into the woods.

Hermione's screamed died down and all Hermione hear was buzzing. Her vision was blurring around the edges and her body was becoming numb. She didn't felt people drop to their knees beside her and lean over her, trying to stop the bleeding.

In the distance, loud sirens didn't cut through the buzzing in her ears and but she could just make out the shouts of different people. Someone leaned close to her and said something to someone else in a scared tone that sounded like they were talking underwater, but Hermione didn't hear a word of what they said. Hermione just stared up at the sky, the full moon filling her vision and bringing her to a place full of peace and darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own anything about Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does.

A/N: Hope you guys like it so far. Please Read & Review!

"Is she going to be okay?" Hermione instantly recognized her father's worried voice. She tried to open her eyes. She needed to know what happened, if her parents were okay. She needed to know where she was and what happened to the beast. She remembered the attack vividly and she automatically knew the consequences. She felt tears spring from behind her closed eyelids, but she was too weak to cry. She was too tired to do anything. Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft, feminine voice that she didn't recognize.

"I truthfully don't know," the voice spoke. Hermione could hear the sadness and worry in this stranger's voice and she desperately wanted to open her eyes, too tell them that she was fine. _Or as fine as I ever will be,_ she though sadly.

"What do you mean you don't bloody know? You're the bloody doctor!" her father yelled.

"Robert please. Just calm down." Her mother's strained, weak voice filled the room and Hermione's heart broke when she heard the pain she was putting them through.

"Sorry Jane," Robert said weakly.

"Look. We're doing everything we can. We cleaned her wounds but they won't stop bleeding. We're trying."

"What about that _thing_ that attacked her," Robert asked. "What if it had rabies? What would happen?"

"We tested her for rabies, but the tests came back negative. We gave her the shot just in case though, you can never be too careful. As for the beast, I have no clue what it is. By the bite marks, maybe a huge dog."

"Okay, thank you Doctor Wielder," Jane spoke softly. Doctor Wielder gave them a false, forced smile and walked out, her white coat billowing out behind her. Hermione fought for control of her body and managed to open her eyes slowly. The room was all white but there was hardly any light, besides the lamp that was on the other side of the room giving off dull glow. Hermione tried to sit up but stopped with a groan when her entire torso gave off a sharp pain, catching the attention of her parents.

Her parents rushed forward and her mother immediately gave her a weak hug, trying not to hurt her. Once her mother moved, her father kissed the top of her head and they each took a seat in the chairs that were near her bed.

Her mother looked a lot like Hermione herself. She was a little taller (about an inch, making her 5'7) and instead of brown eyes, she had light blue. She, like Hermione, had a small frame and shared the same love of reading. Her father had the same eyes as Hermione and the same color hair, except it was flat on his head. He was tall, almost 6'2 and had a sturdy build. He also had Hermione's temper.

Hermione looked at her parents with confused eyes. So many questions raced through her head, but she couldn't make them meet the air. She looked down at her lap and closed her eyes.

"What happened out there?" Hermione said quietly, not opening her eyes.

"We were about to ask you that same question. Why were you wandering around in the woods at 1 o'clock? What attacked you?" Robert spoke.

"I just needed to think," Hermione said quietly. "I have no clue what attacked me," Hermione lied, "but that's not what I care about right now. What happened to the wer- ummm… _thing?_ Where did it go? Where am I? How long was I unconscious?" The questions flowed quickly out of her mouth before she had a chance to stop them.

"Honey, relax. You're safe now," Jane said. "First off, you're in the hospital. You've been unconscious for a few days. We…..we heard you…" Jane took a big sigh and continued. "We heard you screaming. We went outside and apparently the neighbors heard you too. Bill, that police office across the street, came out with his hand gun and we all went into the woods. Bill shot that _thing_ and it howled or something and ran away. We called the ambulance and the brought you here."

When Jane finished her story, Hermione nodded curtly. Silence floated through the air for a long time before her parents got up and said that they had to go home, due to visiting hours. They both kissed her and said good-bye as they walked out the door. A few minutes later, a nurse came in to give her medicine and some food.

When the nurse left, Hermione pushed her food, with a little difficulty, onto the table next to her bed. She just wasn't hungry; her stomach churned when she looked at the food on the tray next to her. Her used her right arm, considering her left was in a sling due to her mauled shoulder, and pulled her hospital gown up after pushing the blanket away.

Her stomach was wrapped in gauze and bandages as well as her chest. The bandages went from her hips, up her chest, and wrapped around her left shoulder. She could faintly see red starting to soak through.

She sighed and pulled the gown back down. She pulled the blankets on her again and painfully settled down into the bed. She knew that the wounds wouldn't stop bleeding until the first change. She was a monster now. She needed to protect others from what she will become. She had about a month until the next full moon to plan and she had time to think about what to do. She closed her eyes. Tomorrow she needed to make a plan. No one could know about this. She soon slipped off into a restless sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does.

Warning: Violence and gore in this chapter

* * *

><p>"CRUCIO!"<p>

"NO! PLEASE MASTER!"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE IS STILL ALIVE?" Voldemort screamed, his wand still pointed at the figure on the ground.

"PLEASE!" the figure screamed, the curse still flowing through his body. "I TRIED, MY LORD. BUT THE MUGGLES-!"

"WHAT ABOUT THEM." Voldemort screamed. He finally lifted the curse of the Death Eater and looked at him with fury in his red eyes.

The Death Eater crawled onto his hands and knees and brought his head up to look at his Master. "They shot something at me. I…I don't know what it was, but I knew that they would of killed me if I didn't run away."

"So she's a werewolf now, right Greyback?"

"Yes, My Lord. But I don't know where they took her after I ran away and I don't think them muggles know what attacked her or what she will become."

"Very well Greyback," Voldemort said with disappointment lacing his voice. "Do you have more Wolfsbane potion for the next full moon?"

"No, My Lord. I used the last of it the last full moon."

"Very well. Get Severus to brew you some more, you will need it."

Greyback nodded and shakily got to his feet. He bowed and started to limp towards the door.

"Oh Greyback," Voldemort said. Greyback turned and looked at him expectantly. "Please send in Lucius and Bella."

"Aye, My lord." And with that he walked away. A few minutes later, Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange walked into the chamber in which Voldemort was sitting.

"You called for us, My Lord?" Bella inquired.

"Yes Bella. Both of you come forward."

"What is it, Master?" Lucius asked.

"Is it about Potter?" Bellatrix said excitedly.

"No, but this task is related to Potter."

"What is it, Master?"

"I need you to find Potter's mudblood friend, Hermione Granger."

* * *

><p><em>Hermione was running. She was running faster than any human. Her feet were barely touching the ground before they propelled her even further. She felt alive. And she wasn't even tired. She pushed herself harder and felt the wind on her naked and exposed body. Her hair was flying behind her and Hermione let a laugh escape her lips.<em>

_She stopped suddenly when she came to the edge of a clearing and she looked in on the open space in the middle of the woods. There, leaning over something, was a naked, crouching figure. Hermione moved closer, curious of what it was. The smell of blood filled the air as Hermione neared the figure. She stopped a few feet away from it and could now hear the figure tearing something apart and eating it._

_Hermione walked slowly around the figure, her heart beating widely. She stopped in front of the figure and screamed, falling back and digging her heels into the ground in order to make more distance between the figure. There, leaning over a dead deer carcass, was Hermione. The Hermione that was eating seemed to not notice the other Hermione staring with big, scared eyes._

_The deer carcass was ripped open at the side and its neck was in shreds. It looked as though big claws ripped the next and side open ruthlessly. The Hermione leaning over it was viciously ripping piece after piece of the raw meat off of the carcass. Her hands, stomach, chest, and thighs were covered in bits of meat and looked like buckets of blood have been poured on her._

_Hermione screamed and tried to get up, throwing up dirt as she desperately tried to get to her feet. The bloody Hermione stopped eating the new chuck of raw meat and put it down beside the carcass. Hermione's heart was beating wildly as she stood there, watching what the bloody Hermione would do next._

_The bloody Hermione slowly lifted her head, revealing her blood covered face. Blood was around her mouth, dripping off her chin and onto the forest floor before her. Hermione slowly moved her eyes up bloody Hermione's face and lock on her eyes. Dark, soulless, black eyes. Eyes of a monster, a ruthless monster. Hermione's heart stopped as she stared into the black eyes. She screamed. She screamed because of the eyes. Because of the horror before her. Because of the fact that there was no guilt in those dark eyes. She screamed because of the monster that was in front of her, of the monster she would become. _

* * *

><p>Hermione sat up from her bed quickly, panting like she had just run a marathon. Her hair was plastered to her face and her clothes were soaked from her sweat. She got up quickly from her bed, her stomach churning, and images from her dream flashing in her mind. She sweared she could still smell the blood and hear the ripping of meat off bones.<p>

She srambled from her room and just made it to the bathroom before she emptied her stomach. She coughed and sputtered and gagged until there was nothing left inside her. Hermione flushed the toilet and fell back against the bathroom wall, running a shaking hand through her sweaty hair. She listened for any sound of movement from her parent's room at the other end of the hall and breathed a sigh of relief when she heard nothing.

Hermione leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes. She had been released from the hospital a few days ago. Her wounds were still bleeding but with a simple Distracting charm on the doctors and her parents, she was able to go home. She could already notice the changes from the attack. She could hear things going across the street without even trying. She could smell all new kinds of smells, both in her house and outside in her neighborhood, and learn new facts about it. She could see extremely well in the dark and didn't even bother to turn on the lights anymore when she was alone.

Hermione was also extremely tired during the day and restless during the night. She tried to act as normal as possible, for her parents sake and, thankfully, it was working. Hermione let a quiet sob escape and brought her knees up to her chest, ignoring the pain that went through her wounds. She let her forehead drop onto her knees. She knew what she had to do. She had been planning for days inside her head. The full moon was in about 2 weeks and she still needed to get ingredients for the potion.

Hermione regained her self control and stood up. She needed to leave now. She needed to protect her parents and friends. Slowly, she walked back into her room and went to her desk. There, lying open, was a letter with Ron's scrawled handwriting. Hermione picked it up and read it for the thousandth time sense she had received it two days ago, a day after she had gotten home.

_**Dear Hermione,**_

_**How you doing? We're doing okay, I guess. Mum cries sometimes, but things are getting better. Harry's over here. Me and Ginny (**_Hermione had to laughed at Ron's bad grammar skills)_** convinced Dad to pick him up. We figured that he should be with his friends instead of locked up in his room with those awful muggles. Anyway, we were wondering if you could come over for the rest of the summer or something. If you can't that's fine, but if you can, send back Pig with a letter confirming you can.**_

_**Ron**_

_**P.S. Ginny says hi.**_

Hermione let tears escape her eyes as she read the letter over and over again. She had sent Pig back empty handed. She didn't want them to know, not just at least. She didn't know how they would react, if they would comfort her or shun her away. They had no idea what she was going through. They didn't know what it felt like to be a monster. They wouldn't know what it was like to turn into a ruthless killer every month. Hermione sighed and opened the desk. She put a piece of parchment that was left over from her last year at Hogwarts and pulled out a quill and ink that also was left over from Hogwarts. Hermione dipped the quill in ink and started to scribble on the paper.

_**Dear Mum and Dad,**_

_**I'm sorry I can't tell you why, but I have to leave. It's for your own safety. I'm sorry this letter is so short, but I can't tell you anymore. Please don't look for me please. I love you both so much, more than you know and more than I can express. If I live, I'll come back and tell you everything you want to know.**_

_**Love, Hermione**_

_**P.S. If the Weasley's come by (you'll recognize them), just let them read this letter. I don't have any more spare time to send them their own letter. **_

Hermione folded the paper and grabbed her wand. With a few complicated wand movements, clothes from her closet and drawers neatly packed themselves into her trunk, which had an Expandable charm on it. She walked quietly to the bathroom and got her belongings from the cupboard. Once her trunk was packed, Hermione shrunk it to the size of a matchbox and she stuffed it into her pocket. She quietly walked down the stairs leading into the living room and put the folded letter on the coffee table that was in the middle of the room.

She walked into the kitchen, taking miscellaneous food objects from the pantry and stuffing them into an empty bag. She made sure that she didn't take enough to make it noticeable. Her parents always kept the pantry and refrigerator stocked so Hermione was able to take a reasonable amount of food.

After her food bag was full, she walked back into the living room. Tears once again came to her eyes and Hermione wiped them off her face and glanced at the stairs again before walking towards the door. She stepped out into the warm, still evening and locked the door with her wand. She walked to the end of her driveway and turned, looking at her house one last time, maybe the last time in her life.

She had read books on werewolves before, and she knew the possibility on dying the first transformation. Hermione let out a chocked sob. She wouldn't think about that now, she couldn't. It scared her to much, thinking that she would never see her friends or family ever again.

The sun was starting to come up by the time Hermione was able to look away from her house. _I love you mum and dad_, Hermione thought. Hermione concentrated on the three D's of apparation and with a loud _crack! _Hermione vanished in this air, just as the first person was getting up.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does.

* * *

><p>Hermione stood in front of a dirty, smudged mirror. She had spent the last few days in a muggle motel a few miles away from the entrance to Diagon Alley. Hermione looked at her reflection in the mirror. She had done some simple charms to change her appearance. Her hair was now dirty blonde and it went down to her hips. Her eyes were green instead of brown and her face was rounder.<p>

She put her wand back in her pocket, satisfied that no one would know who she was. She walked over and sat in the old bed. The bed groaned against her weight but Hermione ignored it. Her trunk was open on the bed and clothes were thrown about inside it. Hermione took her muggle wallet and opened it. She groaned when she saw she only had twenty pounds in it. She growled slightly as she knew that there was yet another place she had to go.

Hermione stood up after a few seconds in thought and walked over to a cheaply made table next to the mirror. She picked up a list of ingredients and read it over to make sure she had everything.

**Ingredients:**

**12 ounces of ground up Mandrake roots**

**8 strands of unicorn tail hair**

**16 rats tails**

**4 cup of Phoenix ash**

**12 strands of werewolf hair**

The list had enough ingredients to make four servings of Wolfsbane potion, enough for four different transformations, if needed. Hermione sighed and stuffed the list into her other pocket of the jeans. Making sure that the Silencing charms were still activated, she apparated out of the room with a loud _crack!_

* * *

><p>A young, blonde haired woman stood in line behind a few people at the line in the nearest muggle bank. She<p>

waited patiently until the bank teller called "Next!" and she walked up.

"I need a withdrawal," Hermione explained.

"Okay and how much would you like to withdraw."

"All of it."

The bank teller looked surprised and curious but agreed nevertheless. A few minutes later, Hermione walked out with two large briefcases. She had emptied all of her life savings ever sense she was 10. She quickly walked behind the bank and shrunk the briefcases just like she had with her trunk. She stuffed them in her pocket and looked around, making sure there was no one watching. After concluding that she was alone, she apparated away.

* * *

><p>Hermione tapped her wand against the bricks in the right sequence. She stepped back as the brick wall opened up, revealing Diagon Alley. She stepped through the barrier and the bricks closed behind her.<p>

Diagon Alley was like a ghost town. A few people were seen wandering around. She remembered going here for the first time before first year, seeing all of the bustling activity. Sadness lowered itself onto her shoulders. Ever since the return of Voldemort, less people had come here or they only came here if they had too. Now that Dumbledore was gone, hardly anyone felt safe to be out anymore.

Hermione walked straight down the street and into Gringotts. She went up to the nearest goblin and took out one of the shrunken briefcases in her pocket. The goblin looked at her as she put the briefcase on the table and enlarged it to original size.

"I need to change muggle money into wizard money," Hermione explained. The goblin looked at her, giving her a curt nod, and took the briefcase into his long fingers. He got down from his seat and disappeared, returning a few minutes later with a big sack, tied at the top.

"Have a nice day," the goblin said annoyed, clearly not really meaning it. Hermione thanked the goblin and walked out. She stopped at the top of the marble stairs leading to the bank and shrunk the bag, stuffing it into her pocket next to the remaining briefcase.

She started walking quickly down the street and slipped into the entrance of Knockturn Alley. She was almost running down the Alley to get to the Potions shop. She ignored all of the people that were hiding in the shadows and quickly opened the door to the shop.

"'Ello miss. How can I help ya," the shopkeeper said putting down a dirty rag and a half cleaned jar.

Hermione looked up at the bony shopkeeper and walked over to the front desk. The old man in front of her was almost completely bald and was missing about half his teeth. Hermione took the list of ingredients out of her pocket and put it between them on the dirty table, not looking up once.

"Umm…. Miss…. These ingredients are pretty rare. It's gonna cost you a lotta loot. Why do you need these ingredients anyway?"

"How much?" Hermione asked, ignoring his question.

"'Bout 700 galleons, Miss."

Hermione put the sack of money on the table and emptied it. She looked up to meet the wide eyes of the shopkeeper.

"Is that enough?" The shopkeeper nodded and stared greedily at the money spilled out on the table.

"I believe so, Miss," he said as he snatched the money up and put it back in the sack, counting it as he went. After the money was in the sack and the left over money (which was only a few galleons and a few Knuts), the shopkeeper disappeared into the back of the shop. Hermione waited patiently at the front of the shop while the shopkeeper shuffled boxes and jars about, looking for the things on the list.

Hermione drummed her fingers against the top of the table, casting urgent looks at the back door, where she could easily heard the shopkeeper cursing under his breath when a box fell. She wrinkled her nose; the scents of the dirty store making her stomach flip.

Eventually, the shopkeeper came back with different containers. He laid them on the table and walked away again, coming back with smaller tube-like containers. Hermione watched him impatiently, wishing he would hurry up. After carefully extracting the ingredients and putting them in their respectful containers, he put the containers in a brown bag and handed it to her.

"There you are, Miss. Now if you ever need any other ingredient, just come back here." Hermione knew that he was just interested in her money but she didn't care, she thanked the shopkeeper. Just when she reached the door, she turned to face his smiling face.

"Did you forget something?" his hopeful voice rang.

"Yeah, I did." Hermione pointed her wand at his face, but before he could react, Hermione said "Obliviate." The shopkeeper's eyes went all blurry and cloudy. The shopkeeper shook his head, trying to remember what just happened and why there was a big bag of money on the back table. He looked over at the front door, which was just closing and saw a flash of blonde hair sneak through the closing door. He shrugged and went back to cleaning jars with a dirty rag.

* * *

><p>Hermione wiped a stray drip of sweat from her forehead as she leaned over the steaming caldron. Hermione had canceled the charms on her appearances and was now herself again. She was in the same motel room as before and was starting to brew the first batch of Wolfsbane. She had put an Odor Control charm of the room to prevent the rotten smell of the potion from escaping the confines of the room. She had put a Bubble Head charm on her to prevent her from smelling the scent of the potion, too.<p>

Hermione's tank top was sticking to her back due to the heat of the flame under the caldron. Her left shoulder, stomach, and chest were wrapped tightly in white bandages. Blood was starting to sink through the thick wrapping but Hermione didn't care. She had started brewing the potion about 5 days ago and there was about a week left until the full moon. The potion still needed to simmer for 2 days and then sit in the flask for a day after she added the last ingredient.

Hermione wiped more sweat from her forehead and carefully dropped 4 strands of brown werewolf hair in the light blue caldron. She watched the potion churn and bubble and turn blood red then dark, musky brown in the caldron. She checked the small potions book that was on the table beside her and smiled when she read that the potion was exactly the same color it as suppose to be. Hermione pulled out a piece of her hair and dropped it in the musky potion. The potion bubbled once more and turned a darker shade of brown.

After putting some smell containment charm on the caldron and canceling her Bubble Head charm, Hermione got up from her position on the floor, her knees popping, and lay down on the bed, flicking her wand at the lamp to extinguish it and pulled the covers up to her chest. She lay there restless, moving every other second, trying to get comfortable enough to go to rest, but it was useless. Her wounds were throbbing and she felt itchy in her own skin. She wanted nothing more than to just run around in the wood, where all of her worries would disappear, but she knew she couldn't. The full moon was in 6 days and she had to rest and prepare for the havoc that would soon rack her body.

Hermione rolled over to her right side and closed her eyes. She wished that this had never happened, that she had never walked into those woods that night. This was all her fault. No! It was Voldemort's fault. Everything happened because of him. Because of him, Harry's life was screwed up to shit; people were living in fear and dying every day, and if it wasn't for Voldemort, Dumbledore would still be alive and she wouldn't have been in the woods.

She let tears escape her lidded eyes, falling sideways down her face and onto the white pillow under her head. She thought about her parents, how they were probably crying over her decision to leave. She thought about Harry and Ron, with false smiles on their face, playing wizard chess or flying in the makeshift Quidditch field, throwing apples from the tree in the Weasley's yard into the goal post.

More tears met the pillow as her mind raced. Everything in her life was changing, and all because of one person. She was a monster because of one person by the name of Voldemort. _You should just kill yourself right now, to protect people from the monster I am and will become; _a voice rang in the back of her head. Hermione forced herself not to listen to the voice and ignored all of its comments. Eventually, Hermione cried herself to sleep, the rays of the almost full moon coming through the curtains and resting on the bed in which Hermione slept.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does.

* * *

><p>"We need to contact the police! She's been missing for a week, Robert! Don't you care for her safety?" Jane screamed. Robert, until they had found the letter, had never seen her that hysterical in all of their 20 years of marriage, but ever since they had read that note that awful morning; she had been hysterical for most of the time.<p>

"Of course I do, but we should trust her," Robert said calmly, even though he was about ready to explode. "We have to trust her that whatever she's doing is the right thing."

"BUT SHE COULD BE IN DANGER!"

"AND YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT," Robert screamed, the pipe finally bursting. "SHE'S BEEN IN DANGER BEFORE, EVER SINCE SHE STARTED ATTENDING THAT BLOODY SCHOOL! BUT I TRUSTED HER AND LISTENED TO HER AND I LET HER GO BACK! THAT WAS THE TOUGHEST DECISION TO MAKE! WE TRUSTED HER THAT SHE WOULD KEEP HER HEAD AND NOT DO ANYTHING STUPID THEN AND WE SHOUD NOW! Robert took a deep, calming breath, his face going back to the normal skin tone, and continued in a much softer tone.

"I miss her to Jane, but we have to keep her wish. She told us that she didn't want us looking for her and we have to respect that. She thinks that she's doing the right thing to keep us safe and maybe she is. With everything that happened last year at her school, she probably feels that she's a danger to us, being a friend of that Harry guy.

"She'll come back, I know she will. She's probably with Harry and…..what's his name….Ohhh yeah, Ron. She's probably with them," he said reassuringly, bringing his wife into a strong hug. Jane nodded and buried her head into her husband's shoulder, sobbing, while Robert whispers word of comfort to her with tears falling out of his own eyes_. We should probably let the_ _Weasley's know though_, Roberts thought.

* * *

><p>Ron and Harry sat in the den in the Burrow, nursing a cup of hot chocolate in their hands. The kitchen doors were closed and a silencing charm had been put up, shielding them from the Order meeting that was taking place at this very moment.<p>

"What do you think their talking about, Mate?" Ron asked.

"Probably about whether Hogwarts will open again," Harry said distractedly, his eyes staring into her cup without really looking. Ron looked over at his briefly and then looked back at the kitchen doors again. The stairs behind creaked and they both looked over their shoulder to see Ginny coming down the stairs.

Ginny plopped herself down in the seat facing the sofa that was next to the fireplace. There was an unbroken and slightly awkward silence between the group, mostly between Harry and Ginny though, due to their short-lived relationship during last year.

"They having an Order meeting?" Ginny asked, not meeting Harry's eye and instead focusing her attention on Ron.

"Yeah, they should be just about done now," Ron said. "They've been conversing for over 2 hours."

Ginny nodded and looked away, staring into the fire, the glow of the flames lighting up her face, matching her hair. They sat there, staring into the fire and occasionally Ron or Harry would take a sip of their hot drink. They all jumped when the kitchen doors slammed open, revealing a red eyed Molly Weasley.

All three of them jumped to their feet and were about to ask what happened when Mrs. Weasley interrupted them, answering their unspoken question.

"Hermione's missing." A few seconds passed in silence before Ginny's voice broke through it.

"What do you mean she's missing, mum?" Ginny asked, worry and panic laced through her words.

"Her parents contacted the Order. She left their house about a week ago, right after she got out of the hospital."

"She was in the hospital?" Ron said his eyes wide and his face showing a mix of emotion.

"The Order was just informed. Apparently, she was attacked in the woods at night," Molly said, her voiced chocked emotion. Ginny finally broke down and both Ron and Mrs. Weasley rushed to comfort her. Harry just stood there in the middle of the room, staring at nothing.

All of a sudden, Harry broke his stillness and ran, stumbling up the stairs into the confines of Ron's room. He locked the door manually, due to the fact that he was not 17 yet, and fell on the bed. First, quiet tears fell down his face but sob soon racked his body. _It's all my fault. It's all my fault. It's all my fault, _he thought over and over again.

* * *

><p>Hermione put the finished potion into an empty flask. With a wave of her wand, the caldron was cleaned of the remains of the potion. She put the flak of potion on the table and started pacing the room. The full moon was 2 days away. Hermione's plan was complete. The potion was finished and based on the book, it was done correctly.<p>

Hermione's stomach flipped upside-down whenever she thought about the full moon. The moon no longer gave her calmness, but fear and dread for what it brought with it every month. She stopped pacing and fell into bed, it groaning as she did so. _There's still time to end it Hermione. Don't rule that option out, _the voice in her head spoke.

Hermione growled and punched the bed, frustration flowing through her like the blood from her veins. She punched the bed a few more times, her teeth clenched together until she thought they would crack. Why did this happen to her? Why did her life have to crumple underneath her?

She collapsed in the bed, sobbing. She screamed loudly into the pillow, trying to release some of the anger that was locked inside of her. She soon collapsed, sobbing into the sheets, clutching her chest as hopelessness and despair and worry went through her.

Hermione cried until she had no more tears to give up. She laid there, her eyes closed and her face wet and shiny with her tears. Eventually, Hermione's body gave out to the stress and she fell asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does.

Warning: Violence and gore in this chapter

* * *

><p>Hermione watched the sun start to sink into the horizon out of the corner of her eye as she paced back and forth in the Forest of Dean. Her skin itched. Her muscles contracted and relaxed over and over again. Her legs were restless and her head was pounding. She felt like she didn't belong in her own skin.<p>

Tonight was the full moon. Hermione had prepared herself and she had apparated into the quietness and solitude of the Forest of Dean. She stopped pacing, the last of the sunlight making her face glow, her heart about to explode with nervousness. She reached into her pocket and took out the small flask, in which contained the Wolfsbane potion.

With on quick flick of the thumb, the flask's lid opened and Hermione stared at the brown substance. With a great sigh, she brought the flask to her mouth and swallowed the foul potion, gulp by gulp, until everything was gone.

Burning. Her throat and stomach felt like they were on fire. Hermione's eyes watered and her body urged her to coughed, desperate to remove the disgusting potion from her stomach. She forced her to keep the potion inside of her and after a few minutes, the burning calmed down a bit and Hermione relaxed as well as she could.

Sitting down with a dull thump, Hermione watched the remaining rays of the sun disappear into the horizon. The darkness slowly fell and with the darkness, came fear for Hermione. She slowly stood up and looked into the sky. Tingling started to flow through her body, making her body fell like it had fallen asleep. Soon the tingling started to grow more intense and the moon started to felt like it was burning her skin.

All of the tingling and burning stopped in a split second as piercing pain shot through Hermione, starting from her head and going all the way to her toes, making her cry out in pain and fall to her knees. All of the pain shot up to her head and Hermione leaded forward, her back curved and her forehead barley touching the forest floor, clutching her head as a scream of agony tore through her throat.

More pain exploded in her stomach, feeling as the skin covering her abdomen was being viciously ripped open and every organ she possessed was being torn out of her. She clutched her stomach with her arms, screaming facing the ground, tears falling fast on the ground.

She felt the rays of moonlight burn her skin as they fell on her. Hermione opened her eyes as she felt her hands tingling and looked in horror as her fingernails grew long and sharp, like daggers. Hair began to sprout and grow thickly on her hands, spreading up her arms like wildfire, while the bones in her hands and fingers cracked and reshaped themselves into gigantic paws. Her teeth cut into her lip as they grew into sharp razors.

Hermione let a horrid scream out and she felt her back arching up and breaking, forming a new structure. Hermione's femur bone shortened and bent painfully as her legs started to form into hind legs. Her heel stretched up while her foot elongated and shaped itself into a paw, just like her hands had done.

A ripping sound joined in with Hermione's screamed and her clothes fell away, piece by piece, as her torso grew and reshaped itself into a long, powerful torso of an animal. A loud gun-shot like sound rang through the air as Hermione's shoulder blades slipped up and her knee bent backward, completing the hind legs of the wolf.

Hermione screamed as her coccyx bone lengthened and grew into a long tail, hair growing all the while. Her screams soon turned into a mix between a human scream and a wolf's howl as her jaw and nose stretched, making a long muzzle, fitting her already elongated, sharp teeth. Her nose blackened and her ears stretched, going on the top of her head, while her long hair sucked back into her skull, being replaced by shaggy, silver hair that already covered her body. The only thing that was the same was Hermione's chocolate brown eyes.

The she-wolf collapsed her side, her sides heaving heavily. Hermione looked around, not getting up yet. She could see everything perfectly. She heaved herself up on her paws, trying to get use to using four feet. _Thank God the potion worked, _Hermione though.

The wolf was a beautiful silver white color, completely opposite from Hermione's hair when she was human, and it was shaggy and smooth, looking soft to the touch. There were some light brown strands of fur spread across her chest and going all the way to the end of her belly fur. There were also some light brown strands starting from her muzzle and down to the middle of her back as well as some brown fur in her shaggy tail and legs. The wolf was twice the size of an ordinary wolf. Her tail was a little longer and the paws were a little smaller than the size of a small plate.

She took a few daring steps forward, stumbling a bit but not falling. After a few tries, Hermione got the hang of it. Hermione looked up and let her dark eyes get lost on the full moon. Pricking her ears back and closing her eyes, she let a long, powerful howl erupt from her throat.

The howl lasted for what seem like hours, but Hermione enjoyed every second of it. She broke the howl off and stretched her, so far, unused legs, the fur bristling between her shoulder blades. She sniffed the air, smelling all different kinds of things, from rain in the clouds to the scent of squirrel miles away.

With one sharp movement, she ran deep into the forest. The wind blew through her thick coat, the muscles rippling under her fur. She pushed herself harder and faster, feeling as if she was flying. Her paws were barley touching the ground before they propelled her body forward again. Hermione's mouth opened and her tongue fell out, being pushed back by the wind.

* * *

><p>A grey wolf sniffed the tree deeply. With a frustrated snuff, the wolf turned around and trotted over to the next tree, trying desperately to pick up the scent and complete the mission. The wolf cringed when he thought about the punishment the Dark Lord would give him.<p>

Greyback had been assigned to track down the mud blood Granger during the full moon. For the second time in two months, he had to ingest that awful potion. He always liked being a wolf, minus the transformation. He felt more powerful than every normal witch or wizard. They could only do magic, but he… he could do magic and was more powerful than everyone else,

He huffed and began to sniff again. This was why he never liked to take the Wolfsbane potion. He always thought about stupid things, about stupid people. When the wolf was just thinking, he didn't think worry about missions the Dark Lord gave him. When it was the wolf thinking, it was simple, all the stress and irritation the Dark Lord gave him just washed away.

Greyback growled and focused on finding the scent. He went from tree to tree in the Forest of Dean. He galloped to a new section of trees. He went over to the nearest tree and gave it a huge sniff. Immediately, his ears pricked up and he gave a growl of happiness and succession. Like an expert, he ran with his head up in the air, following the trail of the she wolf's distinct scent.

* * *

><p>Hermione rolled over on the ground, getting to her feet. She looked up into the sky and looked at the full moon, shining down with power and strength. The full moon would only last about another 30 minutes left until the full moon ended and the transformation back. She was just hoping that it would be a lot less painful.<p>

The distinct rustling of bushes and the sound of paws thumping against the solid ground. Hermione was immediately in a fighting stance, her legs spread apart and her lip back, showing of her gleaming, white teeth in a threatening way.

The sounds got closer and closer until they stopped all together. Hermione tilted her head in confusion and let her stance falter a bit. She pricked her ears back, trying to hear any sound at all, but all she could hear was the rustle of leaves on braches from the wind and the scatter of small animal's paws.

The trees rustled and Hermione tensed, looking around frantically in the dark, her heart pounding in her chest. She whined quietly in fear and turned around over and over again. Her senses were mixed up in her fear and it was making her confused and scared, but over all she smelled something familiar to her and realization hit her over the head like a hammer on a nail.

Before she could do anything, he bounded out of his hiding space and knocked her down. The wolf that attacked her a month ago loomed over her for the second time in her life, but she was more powerful now.

She kicked the wolf in his stomach, like she had the first time but this time with much more strength, more strength than any human could possess. Greyback flew off of Hermione because of the power in her kick and landed against a tree a few feet back. He immediately got to his feet, barely feeling the impact the tree had on him through his anger at her. Once again, she had caught him off guard.

Hermione got to her feet just as her made a charge at her, his mouth open, snapping at her as he ran, trying to get a bit of her again. When he was about a foot away, Hermione hunched her hind legs and jumped over him, just skimming his head with her back paws.

Greyback reeled around, snapping his jaw and catching her left back foot. A loud crack echoed through the forest as he easily snapped her ankle bone with his jaws. Hermione howled in pain before the sound of her discomfort was stopped by her meeting the ground head on.

She struggled to her feet, finding it obvious that he outmatched her from years of fighting and being more used to his wolf side. She just moved out of the way, moving a little weirdly on 3 feet, before he could knock her over again. He ran at her, fire dancing in his black eyes, but she sidestepped him at the last second, which she considered a lucky move.

Before he could stop and turn around, Hermione jumped onto his grey back and ripped open his shoulders with her daggers she called claws. He yowled and tried to throw her off and blood started to mat his grey coat, causing it to look black.

He jerked and jumped every direction and Hermione sunk her claws in his hind harder, fighting to stay on. He slammed his back against the nearest tree and Hermione let go and fell off with a high pitched whine of pain.

He swiped his paw hard at her and she managed to roll over to miss it. She stood up fast and swiped at his, catching Greyback in the back of the head, causing his to spin around fast and claw Hermione in the face, creating a long gash across her muzzle.

She growled and pounced at him, knocking his over and standing on top of him. He easily rolled over her and bit down on her shoulder, just as her hind legs ripped open his stomach, spraying blood on her stomach and causing him to let go of her shoulder. She took her chance and rolled on him, biting into his neck, causing him to struggle and howl and snarl and claw at her.

She was kicked off and she fell on her side, her stomach bleeding from 3 long gashed across it. Her silver fur was becoming matted and clumped together as the blood flowed freely. She watched him escape into the forest, going extremely slow and stumbling like he was drunk. Her vision blurred and her skin tingled, the pain getting less and less. Right before she passed out, she could see the moon sinking into the horizon.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does.

Warning: Violence in this chapter

* * *

><p>Hermione groaned when the sun hit her face, waking her up. The blinked several times and rubbed her eyes with her knuckle. Her entire body ached and protested when she moved, but Hermione pushed herself up onto her feet anyway. A light breeze floated through the air and hit Hermione, blowing her hair back slightly. Hermione looked down and just noticed that she was completely naked. Blushing furiously, despite no one being around and seeing her, she covered herself up the best her could, her arm and hand over her chest and her other hand over her lower area.<p>

She looked around the forest surrounding her. _This wasn't where I started. I was heading back to the place where I left my wand when-_ Realization dawned on Hermione when memories flooded her brain like a tidal wave. The wolf, that grey wolf. He had attacked her. She remembered the fight in great detail, due to the Wolfsbane Potion, and she suddenly wished she didn't when she thought about all of the blood that had been spilled. Her stomach flipped when she tasted blood and hair in her mouth from biting the wolf in his shoulder.

Hermione tried to calm down to her best extent and focused on the scent of her. She breathed deeply and all different scents filled her nasal cavity, the most distinct being the revolting smells of the wolf that had attacked her. She picked up her trail slowly, focusing on her scent and tuning out any others.

She started walking, stumbling through the thickets and dodging low branched, occasionally ripping leaved and twigs from her wild hair. She faintly remembered this hike being easier before and would try and remember to stay close to her first spot during the other full moons.

The sun was fully up by the time Hermione reached the spot in which she had started. Her wand lay at the very edge where she had sat while waiting. The shredded rags which were once clothes lay a few feet from her wand.

She walked up to her wand and leaned down and stood up with the piece of vine wood grasped in her hand. After reconfiguring and stitching her clothed back to respectable condition, she slipped into them. After attempting to fix her hair, and hardly succeeding, her concentrated on her room in her motel and disapparated with a small _crack!_

* * *

><p>Hermione stepped carefully into the shower, letting the steaming hot water ease her aching muscles. She stood there letting the water run down her face and body, her eyes closed and her mouth slightly open. She rubbed the cheap soap over herself, watching the dirt mix with the soapy water and fall down the drain.<p>

She ran her hands through her wet hair and sighed, the memories of last night taking up her whole head. She considered herself lucky to even survive the transformation but even luckier to survive an attack from another werewolf, considering the other wolf was more skilled in fighting and was, from what it looked like, more use to being in wolf form.

She looked down at her pale body. She ran her hands across the smooth and unblemished skin. All of her scars from early childhood, through all of her years at Hogwarts, through all of the battles that she had willingly followed Harry into, were gone, vanished, with no sign that they were ever there. All the small scars from scratches and cut and scraps were gone. The scar, the big bruise like scar, from the curse that Dolohov had sent, was gone. And strangely enough, Hermione missed them; she felt naked without them. She wished she had them back, and almost longed for them to cover her skin again.

They gave her the feeling of power, that she was a survivor. They gave her the feeling that she could get through anything anyone threw at her, even though that was not true. She was not invincible, but when she once looked at the scar from Dolohov and from the rest of the battles she participated in, it made her feel strong and brave, that she got those scars fighting for what she believed in.

A few tears mixed into the water from the shower and were lost forever in the swirling mass of liquid around the drain. She didn't know why she was crying, she guessed it was because all of the stress, but she wasn't sure, either way she really didn't care.

Hermione let out a long sob, she bare shoulders starting to shake violently, matching her cries. The water ran down her face, only showing proof that she was crying by her red, slightly puffy eyes. As each tear and sob escaped, Hermione felt more tired. She just wanted to go home, to go to the Burrow. She just wanted to be safe, but all of those plans were destroyed when she was bitten.

* * *

><p>The water was ice cold by the time Hermione stepped out, dripping wet. Everything that had happened caught up to her and all she wanted to do was sleep. She sleepily grabbed her wand, which she had set on the sink next to a messy, but clean, pile of clothes. She casted the Drying charm and slid into a pair of cozy black sweatpants and a plain white tee-shirt. Dragging herself across the cheap, small room, she fell into bed and was out before her head hit the pillow.<p>

* * *

><p>"Are you sure that is where she is, Greyback?"<p>

"Yes, My Lord. I tracked her down after the full moon. She was easy to track down. Her scent is more distinct after she turned for her first time," Greyback said in a gravelly voice, a twisted smile appearing on his face as the words left his mouth.

"Well done Greyback," Voldemort said, his clear voice echoing through the almost empty chamber. "You may leave now."

"Yes, My Lord." Greyback stood up from his kneeling position on the floor directly in front of Voldemort and walked, limping a little, to the door. As soon as he walked out, Voldemort drew up his left sleeve and pressed his middle finger to the mark on his forearm.

* * *

><p><em>CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!<em>

Hermione awoke with a start; her neck popping as her quickly turned her head in the direction the noises had come from. She was up instantly, immediately recognizing the sounds of apparation. Scrambling to her wand on the other side of the bed, she grasped the wood in her hand and stood up.

Silence. There were no sounds of movement. Hermione strained her ears, using her extraordinary hearing and eyesight to detect anything. She made one small, cautious movement in the dark room, moving slightly away from the bed. She stopped. Her nose flared and she smelled something, like wine and fire whiskey and a slight scent of dirt.

She heard them before she saw them. A creak sounded behind her and she rounded around, just as a fist flew at her face. She was able to see the figure reel his arm and fist back and she was able to duck just as the fist swung over her. Swinging her right leg around, she knocked the figure to the ground, his robe falling after him. He grunted as he connected with the ground and before he could even move an inch, Hermione's stunner hit him in the chest, causing him to be immediately knocked out.

Three spells shot over Hermione's head, hitting the wall and blowing chunks of concrete, still covered in wallpaper, in the direction of Hermione, barely missing her. Her ducked an incoming spell that she heard whooshing toward her and watched as sparks flew through the room as the spell hit the wall, which caught on fire.

Hermione's eyes widened as she watched the fire, making her face glow. She turned around and her brow creased in confusion. The room was bare and the only thing moving was the smoke slowly crowding up the room. Hermione coughed and started to crawl, moving past the still knocked out person on the ground. She looked at the unmoving body and instantly saw the Dark Mark underneath the left sleeve, which had rolled up slightly.

Suddenly, she felt someone pick her up and push her against the wall. She hit it with a thud, the fire licking at her arm. Hermione kicked at the now visible Death Eater, she guessed that they had been under the Disillusionment charm, and the Death Eater fell to the ground. She ran past him before he could move and casted a Stunning spell behind her, hitting its target.

Out of nowhere, 4 Death Eaters appeared. Hermione ducked the incoming spells, the smoke now becoming thicker, making it harder to breathe. She shot spell after spell, casting whatever sprang in her mind. She felt a Cutting spell hit her hard in her thigh, making her fall and cry out in surprise and pain.

She desperately kicked out at one advancing Death Eater, kicking him in his stomach and causing him to fall, clutching his stomach. She scrabbled up, dodging of spells. Throwing spells of her own, she started to advance, trying to avoid the fire that was quickly spreading. The heat of the fire was licking at her loose clothing, just barely touching it.

She threw a spell in retaliation to the curses that the remaining Death Eaters just threw at her, but the Death Eaters dodged it and rolled over on the ground just as Hermione's spell caused the bed to blow up. One Death Eater's mask fell off, revealing the face of Lucius, who instantly threw dozens of spells at Hermione from his position from the ground.

Hermione barely had time to put up a shield before the curses flew at her. They hit the shield with a big bang. Hermione watched in horror as the shield started to crack and just before it gave away, she threw herself on the ground and rolled over to the left. She was panting now and her lungs were aching and burning in need for some clean air. She threw three Stunners and watched as two of the hit their target.

Scrambling up, she got to her feet and dodged more spells from the Death Eaters, who were now on their feet. Three curses flew through the air, all three of them hitting Hermione before she was able to put up a shield. The two Bone-Breaker curses hit her, one in her side and one in her upper left arm, right above her elbow. The last one, from Lucius, hit her in her chest, sending a burning pain through her entire body. The Cruciatus Curse shot threw her body and she could see the remaining Death Eaters advancing toward her.

The curse thankfully stopped but Hermione lay still. The pain was about the same of her transformation, maybe even a little weaker. Hermione lay still and waited until the Death Eaters were close enough.

"I wish she screamed during the curse. That would have been fun." Hermione instantly recognized Bellatrix's voice, a little rough because of the smoke.

"Come on. We should get out of here. The Locking charm I put on the door won't last longer and I bet the muggles are trying to get in to see what all the noise is about," a low voice said, one that Hermione didn't recognize.

"Goyle, grab the mudblood," Lucius said. She heard a muffle protest before she felt herself being lifted into the air and slung over a beefy shoulder. She heard more conversing going on amongst the group but she didn't pay attention. Her opened her eyes slightly, the smoke making them water, and could see her wand a few feet away. She balled her hand into a fist and almost rolled her eyes at how oblivious the Death Eaters were. With her powerful strength from being a werewolf, she hit Goyle Seniors' head as hard as she could, with all of the strength she possessed.

He fell to the ground, causing Hermione to land painfully on her broken arm and her broken ribs started to throb. The Death Eaters turned sharply, now facing her. She dove for her wand, trying her best to ignore the pain shooting through her body. Lucius screamed silently, or at least to Hermione he did. As soon as she grabbed her wand, she shot a Banishing spell, which hit all of the Death Eaters at once.

As soon as the spell connected with the Death Eaters, Hermione quickly summoned the potion ingredients and her trunk, which contained her books, money (both muggle and wizard), clothes, etc. With a small wave of her wand, everything was stuffed into the trunk. The trunk was in Hermione's hand just as the Death Eaters were slowly starting to get to their feet, groaning as they did so. Hermione glanced over at them hastily and closed her eyes, concentrating on anyway but here. Once the Death Eaters got to their feet, Hermione was gone with a _crack!_


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does.

* * *

><p>Arthur ran directly to the group of Order members and Aurors. He had just gotten out of the Ministry when Kingsley had told him to go to a small muggle hotel in London and that there had been an attack there. He immediately saw Tonks, Lupin, Mad-Eye Moody, and Bill, his son, standing in a small circle, their wands still gripped in their hands.<p>

Arthur turned his attention to the motel for a second and saw that it was almost entirely burnt to the ground, one half was completely ashes while the other half was tilted, lying on an axis and it was as black as night, smoke still coming out of it. Arthur turned to face the small group.

"What happened here? Is anyone killed? Where are the Death Eaters? Did they escape?" All of the questions flew out of his mouth before he had time to stop them. His voice was grave and worried, and it was close to a hoarse whisper.

"Whoa dad, one question at a time," Bill said, trying, but failing, to lighten the tense mood surrounding them and floating in the very air they were breathing. "First off, Death Eaters attacked this place, apparently trying to get someone or something. They apparated here in the night. There was another witch or wizard here fighting back by the levels of magic in the rubble and in the air around it. And from the looks of it; it was one against at least five. A few muggles were injured in the fire, too.

"We also talked to the manager before we wiped his memory. Apparently, a young woman about 5'5 or 5'6 with curly brown hair and brown eyes got a room in there," Bill said motioning with his thumb back to motel. "She stayed there for about two weeks and after the attack, she was gone the next morning, with no trace. The manager said she got the room 17 and that was the room that the fire started."

"Okay…So what does that mean? The fire probably was caused by the Death Eaters just trying to show off their power to do whatever they want and the girl probably was captured or was able to escape," Arthur said doubtfully, clearly showing that he knew that it wasn't the case.

"No, we don't think so. There would have been a sign from the Death Eaters of they captured someone, especially if we're right and the person was magical. But there's one thing that really disturbs me," Lupin said.

"And what's that?" Tonks asked.

"You know that Hermione has been missing for about two weeks now, right?"

"Well, yes Remus…but… I don't see your point," Tonks said, clearly upset that Remus mentioned Hermione's disappearance and confused at what point he was trying to get across.

"The description of the girl that bought the room sounds al lot like Hermione."

"So you think that Hermione was here, Death Eaters attacked her, and she escaped?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

* * *

><p>Lucius looked up through his long, platinum blonde at his master standing right in front of him. Lucius' breathing was heavy and he pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, trying to slow down his breathing, the effects of the Cruciatus Curse still flowing through him.<p>

He looked over at Bellatrix and saw she was desperately trying to ignore the effects of the curse and stand up on her feet. He pushed himself up onto his feet with great difficulty, considering the curse was used on him three times already.

"My Lord," Lucius started, "she was extremely powerful. She heard us as soon as we apparated, despite the Quieting Charm, I'm guessing because of her improved hearing. She attacked us as soon as we made the first move. We thought we had her but she faked it and attacked us when we weren't looking. She disapparated before we could get hold of her again. The ministry arrived after we apparated away. I'm sorry we failed you my Lord."

"Lucius, I trusted that you would bring her back to me. And now you bring the Ministry into it! All I needed was you to sneak in there and get her! You didn't need to set the place on FIRE!" Voldemort yelled, screaming out the last word so loud that Lucius and Bellatrix physically winced.

"Do you know where she went?" Voldemort asked, rubbing his forehead with his right head.

"No, My Lord, but we are sending groups out to look for her now."

"Good, good, at least you did something right," Voldemort said. He moved his snake-like head and looked at the two Death Eaters before him. "Now go, fix the mess you created."

"Wait My Lord," Bellatrix said. "What about Potter? How does this relate to him? Why aren't we focused on him?"

"The mudblood is more dangerous to us now because of what happened. She's the leg in the 'Golden Trio'," Voldemort said scathingly. "She is the one that keeps them together. If she falls, the rest do to," Voldemort finished, grinning maliciously.

Bellatrix nodded and started towards the doors on the other side of the chamber with Lucius at her side. Her face clearly showed disappointment and annoyance with the Dark Lord and his plans, but she didn't dare argue with him. She would just have to wait for boy, but in the meantime, she would try to have a little fun with the mudblood.

* * *

><p>Hermione lay in a rotten bed, starting up at the ceiling. She had disapparated from the motel and had ended up in a small cottage that was once her grandmother's before she had died. She was somewhere in Wales, that she knew. The cottage was in the woods, deep within all of the trees. She had visited the cottage a couple of times with her parents when she was young before her grandmother had died. She was now glad that her grandmother never really liked people and had chosen to buy a cottage away from civilization.<p>

Hermione rolled over on the creaky bed, groaning at the slightest movement. It had been two days since the Death Eater attack on the motel. Hermione could feel her broken bones slowly shifting back into place and the burns on her body as well as the gash on her thigh were already almost healed.

She had read in one of her books that werewolves, after their first transformation, healed very fast, at which she was thankful for. Even though her injuries were healing, she didn't have any pain potion and her body still hurt and ached. Over the past few days, her body had been through too much strain. From the transformation, the wolf attack, the Death Eater attack, and the lack of sleep from the worry about being attacked, Hermione felt like she was going to collapse, but she knew she couldn't. Hermione had put up dozens of strong spells around the cottage, but she wasn't sure if they would hold up.

She sat up, groaning, and looked over at a rotten table low to the ground. Her trunk was placed on top of it and clothes were thrown to one side. The caldron and the ingredients were sitting next to the open trunk. Looking over at the caldron, Hermione made a metal note to get started on the potion in the morning, but right now she needed to sleep, to rejuvenate her energy. She sat up slowly and grabbed her wand, checking the charms that protected the small cottage. She lay down after she checked the protections and put her head on the old pillow. As soon as her head hit the pillow, Hermione fell into a black abyss of restless slumber.

* * *

><p>Harry sat against the Weasley's willow tree adjacent to the makeshift Quidditch. The sun was just starting to sink and the golden rays were sprayed across the grass before him. His eyes were unfocused and cloudy, staring at nothing. He had been like that ever since he had heard about Hermione's strange disappearance.<p>

_At least she wasn't captured by Death Eaters, _Harry though. The Grangers had shown them the note that she had left them, showing that she had left willingly. And they knew that she was still alive. _You don't know that. That might not have been her. That could have been the Death Eaters tricking you; _a voice spoke in the back of his head.

Harry ignored the voice. They Ministry had alerted the Aurors about an attack on a muggle motel in London and of course, the Order was then alerted. Mr. Weasley, Bill, Tonks, and Lupin had come back hours after the attack happened and had told them everything about what happened, including the possible sighting of Hermione.

At that point, Harry, Ron and Ginny had all jumped up and had started to almost about shout out questions. Mr. Weasley had informed them that the Ministry was now involved and they were sending out search parties, just like the Order was doing once they had heard of her disappearance.

Harry's eyes came into focus again as he regained control of his thoughts. He wiped the tears from his face when he finally noticed that he was crying. Pushing off the green ground, Harry got to his feet and brushed the remaining blades of grass off of his pants.

Slowly, he trudged closer and closer to the Burrow, his head down, watching his feet as they moved. _Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. _He was broken out of his hypnosis when he collided head on with a certain fiery-red haired figure. Harry, without even noticing, reached out and steadied Ginny before she tumbled to the ground.

"Sorry Ginny," Harry said, clearly distracted, his voice sounding far away.

"It's okay Harry. I wasn't looking either." She gave Harry a small smile that never reached her eyes and Harry gave the worse forced smile ever attempted in the whole universe. Without another word, Harry walked past her and entered the Burrow's front door.

The scent of cooking immediately hit his noise and even when he knew that the food smelled good; it still made his stomach flip and roll. He slowly walked up the stairs, either ignoring or not hearing Mrs. Weasley asking if he wanted dinner, and went right into Ron's room, which he was sharing with him.

He lay down on the bed, his arms above his head, flopped on top of the pillow. He stared at the ceiling, letting his thoughts wander. He thought about Hermione. Where she might be. Why she might have left. What attacked her in the woods near her house. He thought about Voldemort and what he might be doing. He thought about Hogwarts without Dumbledore. He thought about the Horcruxes.

Harry hadn't thought about them much, but he knew that without Hermione, they stood no chance in finding them let alone destroying them. He had talked to Ron and they both agreed that they would go back to Hogwarts and that they would tell McGonagall about the Horcruxes, since she was now the leader of the Order. Even though if felt like his heart was tearing into two pieces when he thought about breaking Dumbledore's promise not to tell anyone, Harry knew he had to, for the fate of the Wizarding World. Surely Dumbledore would understand wherever he was now.

He heard the door open and click shut. He tilted his head up and to the right only to see Ron standing there. The happy, carefree glint in his blue eyes that was just starting to return from when it disappeared at Dumbledore's funeral was gone, replaced by an unreadable haze in his eyes and a blank expression. Harry watched as he sat on his bed and lay down, taking the same position Harry had. After a few minutes of awkward silence, Ron spoke.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Mum wanted me to tell you that she left you some dinner on the counter. She placed a Heating Charm on it."

"I'm not hungry," Harry said curtly.

"Look Mate. You've hardly been eating and all you do is sit out by the tree, looking at bloody nothing."

"So."

"So! It's not healthy, Mate. I know it's about Hermione, but you could at least try to keep yourself alive, for her sake!"

"You wouldn't understand," Harry said quietly.

"Harry, she's my best friend to! What wouldn't I understand! I'm sad and worried and scared and confused too, but you don't have to mope around all day! I'm trying to keep a positive attitude during this whole bloody catastrophe! I'm trying to be strong for everyone. Mum cries all of the time. She considered Hermione like one of her children. Ginny sits in her room crying. Dad's at the ministry all day. Fred, George, and Bill are trying to keep this house together, but their hardly here! So it's up to me and you're not helping!" Ron shouted, his face red by the time he had finished his entire harangue.

Harry looked at him and shook his head. "Ron, this is all my fault. She probably got captured by Death Eaters."

"No, Mate," Ron said his voice quietly and calm now, "She disappeared for some reason, but she didn't disappear because of that. She's not stupid enough to let death Eaters take her without fighting. There are just too many questions to answer before we can come to a conclusion." Ron said as he got up. He walked over to the door, gave Harry a curt nod, and slipped out, closing the door as he left.

Harry looked at the door for a long time, thinking about what Ron just said. Harry had to admit, Ron had matured ever since the fight at the end of 6th year. But Ron was forced to mature. It was just another thing the war messed up, causing people to grow up to fast, to miss the innocent years of fun and freedom. The war just zapped everything away from Harry. First his parents, then Sirius, then his only mentor, Dumbledore, and now his two best friends, one physically and one emotionally.

Harry closed his eyes and let the tears fall. They slid down his face, curving as they went down his cheek and absorbed into his pillow. And Harry lay there and cried silently. He would destroy Voldemort. He would destroy him; get revenge for all the families he destroyed, for all of the lives he had ruined, for all of the innocent lives he had taken away. Yes, Voldemort would pay, and Harry would make sure he would be sent back to the fires he came from.

* * *

><p>Hermione cut up the rat's tail in careful slices. The caldron was heating besides her and the unfinished potion was already a light yellow, just like it should be. Hermione finished cutting and carefully dropped the handful in the potion. She grabbed her wand that was already in the caldron and stirred the potion clockwise, and then counterclockwise, watching as the thick liquid turned a deathly black and then changed to a bright orange.<p>

Hermione stood up and walked over to the bed. It had been four days since the attack and her escape and her injuries were fully healed. There was a light scar on her thigh but she knew that it would last long. It would disappear during her next transformation and she would never have it again.

Hermione sighed and dropped down onto the pillow. The only sound in the room was the sound the simmering fire and the bubbling potion were making, but even though the sound was quiet, even with Hermione's wolf-like hearing, it still gave her a pounding headache.

She needed to think, make a game plan. She knew that the Death Eaters would be after her and nothing would stop them from looking in every place that was humanly possible to hide. She knew Voldemort was going to make them look until they found her and brought her back to him for whatever reason.

The Ministry might be looking for her and possibly the Order. She guessed that the Ministry was all over the Death Eaters attack at the motel and if the Ministry was involved, then the Order would be too. Did they know what had happened? _No, they couldn't know,_ Hermione thought. It was impossible. She didn't even know if they knew that she was attacked let alone a werewolf. Her thoughts wandered and her worry grew. What would Harry and Ron do about the Horcru-?

Hermione sat up so quickly that her neck cracked. She had forgotten all about the Horcruxes. What would Harry and Ron do without her? Would they search for them without her? No, they weren't that stupid. Well, at least Harry wasn't. Were they going back to Hogwarts? Surely the damages to Hogwarts were all repaired.

She fell back down, worry and fear in the pit of her stomach. As much as she wanted go to back, to tell them that she was still alive, to make sure that they were okay, she knew she couldn't. She had to stay away from them. She had to keep them away from the monster inside of her. She was already the mudblood of the group but now she was a werewolf. Maybe this is what Harry always felt like. Like he was a danger to everyone he was in contact with.

She rolled over so she was facing the wall. She closed her eyes and let a few tears slid, crooked, down her cheek and onto the pillow. The entire left side of the pillow was soaked by the time Hermione fell into a light, restless sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling.

Warning: LOTS of violence and gore in this chapter

* * *

><p>Hermione walked through the thick woods, hidden to anyone through the dense branches, leaves, twigs, and bushes. Her hands were stuffed into her pockets and her fingers were just brushing against a metal flask. Her wand was tucked into her sleeve, ready for action whenever it was to pop up.<p>

The sun was starting to sink and the golden rays were peeking through the trees and leaves. Hermione walked over rocks and twigs aimlessly fallen on the hard ground. Her stomach was twisted and had butterflies and her heart was beating. She looked up at the sky and gulped nervously. It would still be a few hours but Hermione was still nervous, it was only her second moon.

Hermione had been restless throughout this whole week. She had taken to walking, and sometimes running, through the woods. It was relaxing and helped her take her mind off of everything that was clouding her brain.

As the light died, Hermione kept walking aimlessly around the forest, making sure to stay deep within it. The last of the light finally started casting shadows on the ground, and Hermione watched as the shadows danced across the ground as the slight wind started to blow through the air around her.

As the sky darkened, so did Hermione's mood. She stopped abruptly and took a deep breath. It wouldn't be soon now, maybe 20 minutes. She looked up at the sky and the clouds floating in it. She smelled the air that promised rain, probably in the next few days, but stopped halfway through the breath.

She knew that smell. It was the same smell that she had smelled in the motel about a month ago. Her heart started beating wildly in her chest and she began to sweat out of fear and panic. She strained her sense of hearing to its max and waited listening. She could clearly hear the steps of the Death Eaters and she guessed that they were about a mile or so away. Hermione looked around and saw it was completely dark.

She needed to get away and fast, but were would she go. The full moon would be soon. She reached into her pocket and grabbed the flask. While pulling it out, she quickly flipped the top of with her thumb and brought it to her mouth. About half a mouthful of the disgusting potion got down her throat before she heard someone shout "Expulso!" and she was knocked backwards. She shot back with such force that her teeth vibrated and her back hit a tree, knocking the wind out of her and causing her vision to blacken around the edges. The flask of potion lay a few feet away, its contents spilling out onto the ground.

Hermione was picked up by one of the Death Eaters and her body exploded into more pain. She looked down to see her entire stomach open and ripped. Her entire abdomen was soaked in warm, red blood and the blood was running down her legs, staining her jeans as it went.

Her intestines were showing clearly and were ripped up, one part hanging close to the opening. Her head felt like a balloon ready to burst and she felt like she was floating through water. One of her arms was almost completely cut through, hanging by a thread. Blood was soaking up the ground on which she was being held up on.

She could hear the inaudible sounds of a conversation from the Death Eaters. She felt one of the dropped her back on the ground ruthlessly and continue talking, obviously tired of holding up all of her weight. Hermione hit the ground and painfully coughed up a glob of blood, making the pain in her stomach agony, but she was too weak to scream and cry out in pain.

She forgot all about the full moon and the potion that was never drunk fully. She forgot about her friends and the worry of the Horcrux hunt and Hogwarts and the Order and her parents and Voldemort. She forgot about everything except trying to ignore the pain, too try to fight the pain, a battle that she would never win anytime in life.

Her skin started to tingle but Hermione made no though towards it. She felt one of the Death Eaters kick her leg to check and see if she was still alive or not. One of the Death Eaters picked her up, but Hermione barely felt it, due to the intense tingling that was taking over her body. She barely felt the burning add to her body's pain.

The moon peeked fully out of the clouds that it hid behind and the rays of moonlight shined down upon Hermione and the Death Eaters. A Death Eater was holding Hermione over his shoulder and was quickly conversing to the others about the plan. They were about to disapparate when the one Death Eater suddenly dropped Hermione.

The Death Eaters watched as Hermione crawled onto her hands and knees and screamed a cry of agony as pain flooded through her body. Hermione's fingernails sharpened and grew as her hands curled into paws, sprouting thick, silver hair. The hair grew up her arm and her feet changed into paws with long, sharp claws.

Hermione's back arched as she screamed and a series of loud cracks rang throughout the air as her back snapped and formed into a new design. Her clothes ripped from the seems as her body grew and her muscles bulked up. Hair sprouted from her skin as she transformed. Her legs molded into the hind legs of a wolf and her knee cracked back, forming the shape of the leg.

A tail grew under her skin, stretching the skin while hair grew thickly from her now formed tail. Hermione's nose and mouth stretched into a hideously scary muzzle full of razor sharp teeth that could easily cut through a man's leg. A glint of chocolate brown was in her eyes before black swirled in them and dominated the brown, making her eyes fully black. Hermione's mind took control for a moment before the wolf inside pushed it back and the wolf took full control.

The Death Eaters stared in fear as they watched Hermione change on the ground right before them. They had sadly forgotten that the full moon was the night of their patrol and now they were paying for it.

The wolf was crouched on the ground. The wolf could feel Hermione trying to break through her barrier, but Hermione was unsuccessful. The wolf stayed crouched on the ground. The wolf smelled the air and smelled human. Her heart started beating excitedly and she could already taste the blood in her mouth.

Saliva dripped from her slightly open muzzle. Her eyes had a crazed look in them. Humans. Humans were near. Humans were right next to her. She wanted to tear them up, to swallow their flesh, lap up their sweet blood.

One of the Death Eaters stepped up to the crouching wolf, his wand pointed at the shaggy form. As he crept closer, the wolf did not move, it didn't even twitch. He was close enough to touch the wolf and he reached out, poking his wand into the wolf's side.

The wolf snapped up and swung her head in the Death Eater's direction. Her teeth caught the Death Eaters hand and she bit down, snapping the bones in two and ripping the entire hand off. The man screamed as blood spurted out of his handless wrist while the wolf swallowed the hand after a few crunchy bites.

The other Death Eaters shot spells at the wolf, but to no avail. The wolf lunged, blood crazy, at the already injured Death Eater. The wolf didn't hesitate to rip open the man's stomach violently. The wolf ripped the organs out of his stomach while he screamed, which was not helping the situation.

The other Death Eaters watched as the wolf tore apart their partner and eat his bloody flesh. His organs were thrown and lay at random parts of the ground, the moon shining off of the wet surfaces. The Death Eaters one last look over at the wolf eating, oblivious to anything other than the pile of ripped flesh beneath it, and they took off into the woods, forgetting the fact that they were wizards and could apparated.

The wolf swallowed a chunk of barely chewed flesh, tasting the bloody, raw meat in her mouth. She looked down at the pile of bloody bones with bits of meat still stuck on them and the organs that were lying randomly around the crime scene. Blood dripped from her muzzle, her entire face, chest, and front legs covered in a thick coat of warm, wet blood.

She looked around in the darkness and growled slightly when her she found out that her other prey had ran away. Licking the blood of her lips as much as she could, she got up and sniffed the air. She could smell them. She could smell the fear and adrenaline that was going through their bodies. She could smell the warm, sweet blood running through their veins. She could hear their quick pants and their footsteps breaking twigs and crumbling leaves as they ran.

She licked her lips as she could already taste their delicious, warm flesh within her mouth and looked up in the sky. The moon was shining at its fullest and the rays of light fell down of the small area in which the wolf stood. The wolf's eyes looked at the moon and it raised her head, bellowing out the eerie sounding notes of a howl. A howl that would be the last thing the Death Eaters would ever hear.

* * *

><p>The wolf ran through the woods at full speed, her feet barely touching the ground as she propelled through the trees and twigs and bushes and leaves. Wind ran through the wolf's fur and the scent of human and blood filled her nose, making her push of the ground harder and faster. She could hear the Death Eaters stumbling up ahead and could hear their scared, fearful cursing as they ran for their life.<p>

She ran faster and could see the figures of the delicious humans up ahead, stumbling through the trees. She could hear their pants, desperate for oxygen, and she could smell their fear and adrenaline mingling with the warm, humid air around them. She could smell the salty sweat on their bodies and she lunged.

The wolf's claws sunk into one of the Death Eater's back, slashing down and tackling him to the dirty ground. The Death Eater screamed as the claws penetrated his skin, but the scream of pain and fear was cut off as he hit the ground, the breath knocked out of his lungs. The Death Eater tried to crawl and scramble away but the wolf grabbed his ankle, biting all the way to the bone, then snapping his ankle in half, cutting all of the muscle and ligaments as she went. The wolf pulled the Death Eater back toward her, ignoring his screams for help to his partner and keeping a firm grip on his twisting body.

The still standing Death Eater watched as the wolf dragged the other Death Eater back. He took off into the woods again, ignoring the screams of the other Death Eater. The wolf dragged the man back and bit into his thigh, ripping off a piece of raw meat and swallowing it whole. The man's artery broke and blood spurted out at the wolf, exciting her even more.

The wolf bit into the bloody leg and the sweet blood spurted into her mouth and down her throat. She broke the femur bone in half and ripped the leg of entirely. Blood spurted from what was left of the leg and the man screamed in pain. The wolf bit off flesh, piece by piece, eating the leg and crunching on the bones.

The man started to drag himself away with his arms, but he didn't get far. The wolf snapped away from the half eaten leg and lunged at the man. The man screamed so loud that his voice strained and he tried fruitlessly to get away. His wand was lying a few feet away, dropped when he was tackled, and he tried to grab it.

Right when the man was about to grab his wand, the wolf tore his arm off and threw it away. Blood spurted onto the wolf's chest but she didn't care. She plunged her head down, ripping open the man's neck with her razor-like and blood flooded her mouth as his major artery gashed open.

The man's screams soon turned into a gurgling sound as blood filled his throat and warm, red liquid started to flow from his slightly open mouth. The wolf greedily chomped down on his neck, eating a big piece of muscle, vein, and skin. Blood ran down her muzzle as she moved onto his meaty stomach and still warm blood gushed out of his stomach and into her mouth as she ripped open his stomach.

She left him there, half eaten, and ran into the woods. She wanted the other one. She wanted to taste his blood like she had with the other two humans. The man hadn't gotten too far, she knew that much. Wanting to kill made her push faster and follow his scent.

She stopped and trotted to an edge of a clearing. The man was leaning against a tree. She quickly snuck around and stopped when she was right next to him. His panting was heavy and his face was soaked in sweat. She looked up at the sky to see the full moon still shining in all of its glory.

With powerful legs, she jumped soundlessly at the man, wanting flowing through her body. The man didn't even have time to scream before she bit into his neck. With one powerful head flick, the Death Eaters head ripped off of his body. His body fell lifeless to the ground and the wolf lay next to it, the head still in her jaw's clutches.

She cracked open the skull and bit into the grey matter, savoring the taste of it. She tossed the head aside and bit into his side, starting to feast on the last of her prey. The headless body lay there as the wolf tore the meat off and swallowed it quickly.

* * *

><p>The wolf lay there silently on her side, her stomach full and satisfied. The dead, headless body lay a few feet away from the wolf and the scent of blood filled the air. The wolf closed her eyes and sighed contently. The wolf fell asleep and the moon sunk into the sky, taking the darkness with it.<p>

* * *

><p>Hermione woke up, her head pounding. Groaning, she pushed herself up, leaning on her hands as she sat back. Her stomach churned and her mouth had an awful taste in it. The smell of stale blood filled the air and Hermione looked down at her naked body. Her front was covered in dried, crusty blood. She brought her arms in front of her and they too were covered in dried blood.<p>

She looked up, her heart pounding in her ribcage. A mass lay a few feet away, but Hermione was unable to distinguish what it was. She pushed herself up of the ground, her muscles aching. She stumbled the few feet towards the mass and her stomach flipped when her eyes meet the gruesome sight that lay at her feet.

A headless body lay there on the ground, its stomach ripped open and flesh torn viciously from it. The organs were hanging out carelessly from the opening on the stomach and one of the legs was ripped off from the knee below. The head lay a few feet away and grey matter had leaked out onto the ground. One of the eyes on the face was hanging out of its socket and its mouth was open in an "o" formation.

Hermione fell to her knees and threw up everything in her stomach. She retched violently until her stomach was bare. She coughed and sputtered without anything coming out and her stomach heaved painfully. Wiping her bloodied mouth with her equally bloodied hand, she stood on unsteady knees.

_Oh my God. I'm a murderer. A killer. A monster. A ruthless monster, _Hermione thought. She desperately tried to remember what had happen last night. Walking back and forth, she ran her fingers through her tangled hair and tried to remember desperately what had happened.

_Wait Hermione, calm down,_ she thought to herself. She walked far away from the mauled body and sat on a large, grey rock. She put her head in her hands and took several deep breaths, trying to calm down her pounding heart.

She remembered walking around in the woods before the full moon. She remembered drinking a sip of the potion and then…then the Death Eaters. Oh God! She had killed one of them. She remembered the Death Eaters throwing a spell at her and she remembered slamming into a tree. She remembered the pain of the transformation and the loss of control that overcame her as she transformed. She thought harder and remembered faintly blood gushing from wounds and screams of pain and fear.

She stood up and stumbled through the wood. Eventually, she found her way back to the small cottage. She had passed the other mauled bodies as she went through the woods and found her wand, flask, and shredded clothing near one of the bodies, who had no hand and whose stomach was also ripped open.

She picked up her wand and the flask. There was a little at the bottom of the container and Hermione guessed that the rest had spilled out. She started walking again, letting her thoughts wander and fly free, too tired to care. She let a few tears slip down her pale cheeks because that was the only thing she could do.

By the time she reached the cottage, the sun was starting to sink down in the sky, slowly. Hermione was like a zombie. She stumbled and almost fell through the door and fell on the bed. Her aching body relaxed into the bed the best it could on the old mattress. Hermione lay there, her eyes closed her thoughts on last night.

She was a killer, a murderer. She was a monster. The monster inside her had gotten loose and it had run free. _There just Death Eaters. You saved people's lives. They would have just murdered more people if you didn't stop them. You're not a killer, you're a hero, _a voice spoke in the back of her head.

Hermione knew that the voice was wrong and ignored it. She had killed a human being, a living soul. She had crushed the very soul that was within that body. Even though those Death Eaters had been murderers before and had done horrible and disgusting things, Hermione didn't want to sink to their level and become a murderer.

Tears fell fast down her face and guilt crushed down on her, making it feel like it was hard to breath. This was what she was trying to prevent from happening, but nothing in life ever goes as it was planned. She turned and shifted so she was lying on her left side, facing the wall. She fell asleep just as the sun fully disappeared into the horizon.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does.

* * *

><p><strong>Werewolf Attack- Death Eaters Found Dead<strong>

_Three Death Eaters were found dead in Northern Wales. All three bodies were horribly mauled and multiple paw prints were found around the sight. The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures is investigating the crime scene._

"_So far, we are pretty sure that these deaths were caused by a werewolf, based on the paws and the damage to the bodies," the head Auror said. "The damage to the bodies couldn't have been caused by any curses. We are still searching for anything else to help us figure why this attack happened."_

"_I'm just glad they were Death Eaters," a wizard said. "I think whoever killed them should be praised as a hero. They saved many lives by killing them before they killed anyone else."_

"_We are putting the Werewolf Registry up to full power. If we have to, we will put the Werewolf Containment Law into order as well. We want to prevent anymore werewolf attacks from happening. We are just asking that all werewolves register themselves so we can track them down and make sure they aren't causing any harm," Minister of Magic Rufus Scrimgeour said, which caused and is still causing much controversy. _

Harry didn't bother to read anymore. He looked at the picture above the story and grimaced when he saw the body of a headless Death Eater, his stomach ripped open and Aurors walking around in the background, talking. Harry could see the giant paw print around the body and the head in the background.

Harry moved his vision down to the very bottom of the page. A picture of Hermione was looking out at him. She had a small, smile on her face and above the picture was "Have You Seen This Person" in big, bold letters. Below the picture was a description of Hermione as well as contact information to the Ministry.

Harry blinked back tears that were threatening to fall and threw the paper on the table. He picked up a cup of now lukewarm tea and sat there in silence. Everyone else was asleep or at least in bed, but Harry didn't feel the need to even try to get some rest. Heknew it was a waste of time.

Ever since the possible sighting of Hermione at the motel, the Order had put Hermione's picture in the Daily Prophet. That had been a month ago and still nothing. Harry looked out of the kitchen window and saw that the sun was starting to come up.

He stood up and put his cup on the counter near the sink. Warm wind greeted him as he opened the front door and made his way to the tree. He sunk down to the ground, his back against the tree, and watched the sun rise into the sky.

Harry sat there, his jet black hair rustling in the wind and his heart aching. Even though the Burrow was full of his friends and of people he considered his family, he felt more alone than ever. His best friend was missing and Harry wasn't sure how much longer he could sit here and do nothing.

He didn't think he could go through his final year at Hogwarts with only 2/3 of the Golden Trio. There would also be an Order meeting tonight and Harry's stomach flipped when he thought about what he had to do. He had to tell the Order about the Horcruxes, there was no other choice. Without Hermione, he and Ron stood no chance at finding them. Harry wasn't even sure if he could defeat Voldemort without Hermione at his side.

He had realized how he depended on her, how much he needed her, how much he needed her comfort. She was his best friend. She had always stuck by his side, even when her life was in danger, even when he had taken his anger out of her.

Tears fell fast down his face as memories flashed through his mind. Hermione was his best friend, the only person who had always stuck by him, the only person who had comforted him. He loved Hermione, he knew that. He knew that he loved her, but had only realized it now that she was gone. He loved her with all of his heart. He loved her so much it hurt.

Harry buried his face in his knees, his shoulders shaking as sobs racked his body. Sobs rang through the quiet morning and Harry sat there, crying his heart out. He felt someone sit beside him and put their arm around his shaking back.

Harry sniffed a few minutes later and brought his head up, locking his green, bloodshot eyes to sad, watery brown ones. Ginny gave him a smile, tears running down her own cheeks.

"You love her, don't you?"

Harry looked away and nodded, wiping the tears off of his face. Ginny sighed and spoke again.

"It's okay Harry. What we had was over; it was just a little crush. Everyone could tell you loved her and everyone could tell that she loved you. They'll find her. I don't know when but they will. Just next time you see her, don't hesitate to tell her. By the way, mum wanted me to tell you that breakfast is ready."

Ginny pushed herself up off the ground. With one last smile, she walked away and Harry watched her retreating form until she slipped through the Burrow's front door. He let the first real smile grace his face. Hermione loved him back. Ginny was right. They would find her. Harry got up and walked to the front door of the Burrow, feeling better than he had in a while.

* * *

><p>Hermione sat on a clean bed, holding a Daily Prophet that she had found in a Wizard village. She looked at the front page, reading the article over and over again. It had been only five days since the full moon and Hermione had found a small, cheap apartment near the Southern border of Scotland.<p>

She had passed through a Wizard village when she had left Wales and had unfortunately found a Daily Prophet on the ground. She never knew that the Ministry would find the bodies so quickly. She thought she had more time to find a hiding spot further away. The Ministry would be looking all over the place and that worried Hermione deeply. She was more worried about the fact that the werewolf laws were going into play now. If they caught her, then everyone would know, but she hoped that wouldn't happen.

Hermione looked at the bottom of the page and stared at her picture for the millionth time since she had found it. She knew that the Ministry and Voldemort would be looking for her, but now they would start to look even harder. She was responsible for the death of three Death Eaters and worst of all; she had killed them in her wolf form.

Hermione lay back on the bed. She would have to move again tonight. She had been here for two days already and she couldn't stay at one place for too long. Her bags were already packed so she might as well get a little sleep before she moved.

* * *

><p>Harry woke up to someone shaking him. He sat up quickly and realized he was shaking and sweating. Ron was besides him, kneeling on the ground next to the bed. Ron's face had a concerned look and he looked at Harry expectantly. Harry ran a hand through his sweaty hair.<p>

"Mate, you were screaming. Was it Vo…Volde…Voldemort?" Ron stuttered.

"No…No, it was… it was about…" Harry took a deep breath and looked away, trying to hide his tears.

"It was about Hermione, wasn't it?" There was a long pause until Harry spoke again.

"Yeah," Harry said, his voice strained.

Ron pushed himself up onto the bed and sat next to Harry. He put his hand on Harry's shoulder and turned Harry so he was facing him. Harry looked at him and finally let the tears flow, not caring who saw, as memories from the dream flowed through his mind.

"What was the dream about?"

"I… I was running towards her. She was just standing at the other end of a room and I ran to her. No matter how much I ran, I would never get any closer. I kept running and….and then she looked up at me and…and she smiled. Something was different about her though. But I couldn't figure it out. I screamed her name and then out of nowhere, a flash of green light hit her and she just fell. She was dead. Ron! What if she's dead? Oh God! She can't be dead!

Harry was sobbing by the time he stopped speaking and Ron patted his shoulder a little awkwardly. After a few minutes, Harry looked up. The sun was starting to peek into the room through the curtains and light was creeping slowly across the floor.

"Mate, Hermione's fine, I'm sure of it. She smart enough not to do anything stupid. She'll probably walk through the front door today with all of the Horcruxes destroyed and the head of Voldemort in her heads."

Harry couldn't help but smile at Ron's lame joke. Ron smiled back and got up from his position on the bed and walked over to his dresser. After pulling out some new clothes, he announced that he was going to take a shower. Harry nodded and watched him leave. Falling back into the pillow, Harry knew that he would not be able to get back to sleep, and apparently Ron wouldn't be able to either.

After dressing in some fresh, clean clothes, Harry walked out of the room and down the stairs. He walked into the kitchen and saw that Mrs. Weasley was already up and making breakfast. After a quick good morning, Harry sat down and Mrs. Weasley put some pumpkin juice on the table as well as a cup.

About ten minutes later, Ginny came down still in to pajamas and with tousled hair. Yawning, she said good morning to both Harry and Mrs. Weasley. A few minutes later, Ron came down with wet hair and fully awake, which surprised both Ginny and Mrs. Weasley but they just ignored it.

Ron sat next to Harry, across from Ginny, and grabbed some pumpkin juice. By the time breakfast (pancakes, bacon, eggs, and toast), Mr. Weasley came down in his work clothes. After a quick breakfast, Mr. Weasley bid goodbye to the group at the table and his wife, who was standing over the sink, and apparated away to the Ministry.

For a few minutes, all that could be heard in the kitchen was quiet chewing. The silence was broken by several pecks at the window. Ginny got up and opened the window, letting three brown owls carrying letters fly in and land on the table.

"Hogwarts letters," Ron said curtly while getting up to retrieve his letter. He got his and handed Harry and Ginny their letters while Mrs. Weasley watched them from the sink. Harry opened his envelope carefully and took multiple pieces of parchment out, unfolded them, and looked at the neat words.

_Dear Mr. Harry Potter,_

_I am pleased to tell you that Hogwarts will open for the upcoming school year. The school has been repaired and the wards were repaired as well. You school list is provided within the envelope. Please enjoy the rest of your summer and I look forward to seeing you on September 1__st__._

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Headmistress_

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry _

Harry read the last part over and over again. So McGonagall was Dumbledore's replacement. He wasn't necessarily disappointed, it was just different. He didn't bother to even look at the list of books he needed and tossed the letter on the kitchen table.

He looked up and saw Ron still reading his letter. Ginny was looking out the kitchen window, hiding her face from everyone around her as best she could. The whole kitchen was silent until Ginny broke it.

"It feels so strange….so different." Her voice was strained and quiet. Everyone turned to face her, confusion clearly marked on their faces. Ginny turned around to face them, her knuckles white from gripping the table and her eyes watery with tears just starting to slip from them.

"What feels strange Gin?" Ron asked, concerned.

"Everything! The fact that they didn't even bother to send Hermione's letter to us, like they just think that she won't come back. That they don't even need to make a letter for her because they think that she won't ever come back. The fact that you two are going into you're last year without your best bloody friend!" Ginny was openly sobbing and gesticulating wildly as she talked.

Mrs. Weasley ran over to her daughter and enveloped her in one of her giant hug. Ron and Harry stood there and watched while Ginny sobbed and was rocked by Mrs. Weasley. Harry looked over at Ron and Ron flicked his head towards the door. Silently, they both left the kitchen and went up stairs to their room.

They both collapsed onto their beds and lay there, thinking about what Ginny had just said. Harry knew that she was right, things were different. Things would never be like they were before. Harry didn't even know if he would ever see Hermione again, but he wouldn't think about that. He would have hope and he would get through this.

* * *

><p>Harry and Ron walked down the stairs slowly, their hearts beating so loudly that they thought their chests were going to explode. Harry looked over at Ron and Ron nodded slightly. Together, they walked through the kitchen doors and took the two nearest seats, not thinking that their legs could support them anymore.<p>

Harry and Ron had told Mr. and Mrs. Weasley that they needed to speak with the Order at the meeting and after an hour discussion, they had agreed, Mrs. Weasley a little hesitantly.

Harry looked around the kitchen and looked at all of the confused and curious faces of the Order members. Lupin and Tonks were standing together, both leaning against the sink, their arms crossed. McGonagall was sitting at the head of the table with her fingers laced together in front of her. "Mad-Eye" Moody was standing near the doorway, leaning on his walking stick, his electric blue eye rolling continuously. Kingsley was sitting next to McGonagall while Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were sitting side by side, across from Kingsley.

Bill and Fleur were standing against the wall, Bills arm around Fleur's waist. Fred and George were looking at Harry and Ron curiously while the leaned against the wall, one of their legs bent and positioned on the wall, both their arms crossed. More people that Harry didn't recognize were there scattered around the kitchen.

Harry started to sweat and his hand became clammy. He suddenly felt like he was suffocation in the cramped room. He took a deep breath and looked at McGonagall, giving her a small nod, asking her to start the meeting.

McGonagall stood up and cleared her throat. Mostly everyone brought their attention to her, but some people kept their eyes on Harry and Ron, making them shift in their seats. "Thank you all for coming," McGonagall started. "There are many things to discuss here tonight but first Harry and Ron have something they need to share." McGonagall gave them a nod and sat back down, looking at them expectantly.

Harry stood up and cleared his throat nervously. "As you all know, Dumbledore is dead and Voldemort is getting stronger each passing day." He stopped and looked around, the faces of the Order members clearly not following where he was going.

"The night he died….he took me to a cave…a cave that held a Horcrux." Confused faces were scattered around the room, while only a few faces (like McGonagall) turned pale. Harry took a deep breath and continued.

"Wait, what's a Horcrux?" Tonks asked.

"A Horcrux is an object or sometimes living being that contains a piece of someone's soul. Tom Riddle made 7. For my whole 6th year, Dumbledore taught me about Tom and his Horcruxes. The dairy that I destroyed in my 2nd year was one and the ring that Dumbledore found was one to.

"That night that he died, he brought me to a cave and he thought there was a Horcrux inside, a locket. He made me make him drink this potion so we could get the locket but the potion made him weak and when we got back, Malfoy came and tried to kill him. Dumbledore put a spell on me and I couldn't move. I couldn't do anything and I watched Snape kill him." Harry's eyes filled with tears but he blinked them back and gained control of his emotions again.

"The locket was fake. I opened it and a note was in it, saying that R.A.B. took the real Horcrux. Dumbledore told me that I could tell Ron and Her…Hermi…"

"Hermione," Fred offered sadly. Harry nodded and started his speech again.

"Yeah, but I think I have no choice. Her… Hermione is gone and I don't think Ron and I could do it without her. We need your help. There are five left. So far, we think that Voldemort made a Horcrux out of objects that mean something to him and hid them in places that mean something to him. We think that Helga's cup, the locket, and Voldemort's snake Nagini are Horcruxes. Also, there is probably something of Ravenclaw's and Gryffindor's as well."

Harry paused to take a deep breath. "All I'm asking is for you to help. Ron and I talked and we feel it would be best if we go back to Hogwarts for our last year."

"Since when were you talking about not going to Hogwarts?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Ummm…mum, we were originally going to go hunt for the Horcruxes ourselves," Ron said sheepishly. Mrs. Weasley opened her mouth to say (more like yell) something back but her husband put a calming hand on her shoulder and she backed down.

Harry looked around the room, desperation clear on his face. "Harry." Harry looked over at Lupin, who was now standing straight with his arms down. "Of course we'll help you."


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does.

* * *

><p>Harry sat looking out at the changing scenery as the train raced across the tracks. The compartment was silent and no one dared to make a sound. Ron was sitting on the seat with his legs crossed, twirling his wand in his hand, his blue eyes dull and cloudy. Ginny sat across from his, staring at the floor.<p>

Harry thought about the meeting. It felt like a small weight was lifted off of his chest, even though there was still a lot left. The rest of the meeting was going over possible locations where Voldemort could have hide the remaining Horcruxes and what objects from Ravenclaw and Gryffindor could be. At the end of the meeting, they found out Ginny was listening the entire time, using Extendable Ears. After Mrs. Weasley screamed a bit, they all agreed that she should know since everyone else did.

Harry, Ron, and Ginny had sat there for about an hour before Neville and Luna had found them and joined the group. Luna was sitting next to Ron, reading a new edition of the Quibbler, upside-down. Her usual (at least for her) butter beer bottle cap necklace was around her neck and her wand was behind her left ear. Neville was sitting across from Harry with a strange magical cactus on his lap, twisting so it looked like it was doing some erotic dance. Harry was just thankful that they didn't mention Hermione.

Harry leaned his head against the wall, looking out the window as the train continued to roll. His jet black hair hung in his face, having gotten long over the summer, and his famous scar was covered. He closed his emerald green eyes and as the train traveled, Harry fell asleep.

* * *

><p>Voldemort sat straight in his chair as he watched the door open at the other end of the chamber and as a group of Death Eaters filed in. The Death Eaters walked up and fell to their knees, their heads bowed, in front of Voldemort.<p>

"As you all know… Avery, Gibbon, and Jugson are dead. The mudblood is getting more dangerous and you need to step up the patrols. I want all of you to patrol in different places every day and night, except the full moon. I will get Greyback to do the full moon."

Voldemort paused and looked over the Death Eaters that were now all looking up at him. "I need her captured and brought to me. If you get her, don't kill her until I tell you to, she could be very useful. She is desperately important to killing Potter."

Voldemort looked over the Death Eaters in one fluent movement of his head. He nodded in pleasure and waved his hand at the door, shooing them away. They all walked to the door and filed out. Once the door shut with a slight bang, Voldemort rubbed his forehead.

A giant, monstrous green and black snake slithered her way towards Voldemort's chair and lifted the front half of her body in the air. Voldemort looked over and brought a hand out to pet the snakes head.

"We will find her soon, Nagini. We will find her soon."

* * *

><p>"Harry." Harry groaned as someone whispered his name in his ear. The person shook him and Harry batted the person away. "Come on, Harry. We're here." Harry opened his eyes to see Ron standing over him, their faces inches apart.<p>

"Come on, Mate, we're here." Harry nodded and got up. The others were waiting near the compartment door, watching. Harry grabbed his trunk and Hedwig's cage, with the snow white owl hooting in annoyance, having been woken up from a nap herself.

The group made their way through the train and exited it, one by one. Together, they all made their way through crowd as fast as they could and made their way slowly to the carriages.

"'Ello 'arry, Ron!" They all turned around and saw the half giant waving to them, faking a smile, the glint of happiness gone from his eyes. His long beard was frizzy and looked unkempt and his smile never reached his eyes.

"Hey Hagrid!" Ron yelled back at him while Harry just waved. The crowd was moving and Harry and Ron were blocking people, so they yelled their goodbyes and made their way to a carriage that Neville, Luna, and Ginny were saving.

After they settled themselves down, they carriage started to move, the ghostly horse pulling them. Harry watched the Theastral as it pulled the carriage until they made it to the front gates of Hogwarts.

After grabbing their trunks, which had a Feather Weight Charm on them, they all moved towards the entrance. They dropped their trunks in the big pile inside the gates so that the bags could be inspected and walked toward the giant doors of Hogwarts.

* * *

><p>Hermione looked at herself in a mirror that was in the bathroom. Her naked body was unscarred, not a blemish on it. Her curly hair had grown down to the small of her back and it was slightly tangled. Her body had gotten stronger, due to all of the running both in her wolf form and when she was still human. Her legs and arms were extremely muscular and her stomach had an outline of her abs, just another thing being a werewolf gave her.<p>

Sighing, she rummaged through her trunk and pulled on some new clothes. She had been in the Scotland every since the last moon and she knew she was somewhere near Ayr. She had found an abandon cottage after she had left the apartment and the good thing about this house was that it was located in a clearing, far away from any major population.

The small house was covered in dust and there were a few pieces of moldy furniture. There were cracks in the ceiling and Hermione was thankful that it wasn't raining. The small house was one floor only. There was a living room where a kitchen was attached. There was an old bathroom where the wallpaper was peeling and an old bedroom across from the bathroom that smelled like something died and had become rotten.

The couch in the living room was dusty and moth-eaten by Hermione chose to sleep there, where she could see if someone was coming through the grimy windows and because she wouldn't be able to take the awful smell that was in the bedroom. Hermione made her way out of the bathroom and sat heavily on the couch, dust flying up and causing her to sneeze loudly.

After checking that the protections were up and strong, she lay down on the couch, her wand lying in the floor next to her. The couch sunk and was low to the ground, but Hermione didn't care, it was comfy and she was tired. She never slept for too long but whatever sleep she got kept her going. She finally closed her eyes and her mind was overtaken by blackness.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does.

* * *

><p>Harry walked silently through the corridors, sometimes passing groups of people happily chatting, with his bag slung over his shoulder. He turned right and walked at a slow pace down the many flights of stairs. He eventually made it to the dungeons and walked at an even slower pace to the potions room.<p>

It had been a week since the feast and classes were already at full bloom. At the feast, Susan Bones had been made Head Girl while Terry Boot had been made Head Boy. At the feast, Harry almost cried for the fact that Hermione wouldn't be Head Girl, like they all had planned.

The classes had started the morning after the feast and they were given their timetables by Flitwick. McGonagall was still teaching Transfiguration, even though she was Headmistress now. All of the other teachers were still teaching the same classes and Tonks had volunteered to teach as Defense Against the Dark Arts classes. Slughorn had once again taken the position as Potions Master too.

Harry had taken Care of Dangerous Magical Creature (the advanced version of Care of Magical Creatures), Charms, Transfiguration, History of Magic (to his disappointment), Herbology, Potion, Divination, and of course Defense Against the Dark Arts.

All of his classes were advanced, besides History of Magic. Ron was only able to get into Advanced Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and surprisingly Advanced Potions. All of the rest of the classes, Harry went to alone, occasionally walking with Neville to Herbology or with Dean to Care of Dangerous Magical Creatures.

Harry kept on walking; the cold dungeons making him feel even lonelier. He wished Hermione was hear; he could imagine talking and laughing with her while they walked from class to class, guessing that she would have the same classes as him (which she most likely would).

He finally made it to the potions classroom with a minute to spare. After walking over and sitting down next to Ron, he put his potions book and caldron on the black table and watched as Slughorn got up from his desk.

Slughorn smiled happily at the class, his plant green jacket stretching over his stomach, the buttons looking like they were about to pop off. His short, gray hair was smoothed back and was neat on his head. He reached into his pocket and took out his wand, flicking in at an equality neat chalkboard. Directions magically appeared and he turned to face the class again, stuffing his wand back into his pocket.

"Today you will be making the Essence of Dittany. Now can anyone tell me what Essence of Dittany does?" Slughorn looked around the room, waiting patiently while he rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet, a smile gracing his winkled face.

After a few seconds of silence and no one raising their hands, Slughorn looked over at Harry and smiled. "Harry, how about you tell us." Harry attention was snapped back into the present and he sat up quickly.

"Errr… the Essence of Dittany is made out of the herb Dittany and it has magical healing powers."

"Very good Harry! Ten points to Gryffindor. Now all of you please open your books to page 25 and you can get started on your potion. If there are any questions, please raise your hand and I'll help you. Remember! This will be a grade so please do your best."

Harry looked away from Slughorn and opened his book, looking briefly over the ingredients on the board and got up from his seat. He went to the cupboard and took out the different ingredients. Harry walked back to his table, where Ron was cursing as he burnt his finger on the flame under his caldron, and placed his ingredients next to his caldron.

After Harry was all set up, he grabbed his knife and started to work, not really paying attention. After a few minutes, Harry dropped his badly cut up dandelion root into his caldron and looked around the classroom. He, Ron, Lavender, and Parvati were the Gryffindors. The rest of the class was Slytherin. Harry was extremely glad that Malfoy didn't come back; he guessed that Voldemort needed Malfoy to stay and help him or something. Right now, Harry didn't really give a flying fuck about what Malfoy was doing.

Harry was so lost him his thoughts that he didn't notice his potion bubbling and fizzing over the edges until the substance inside the caldron hit the table.

"Harry!" Harry turned his head to look over at Ron, who had just whispered to him. Ron handed him a rag and Harry wiped up the spill.

"Thanks Ron," Harry whispered back to him. Ron nodded and looked back at his potion while Harry looked back at his. The sound of bubbling, fizzing, and Slughorn's footsteps as he walked around the classroom observing student was the only noise in the room.

"Hey Potty." Harry looked over to see Blaise looking over at him, who was sitting in the table next to Harry.

"Sod off Zabini," Harry said, looking back to his half cut up ginger roots. He guessed that since Malfoy was gone, someone had to take his spot and that happened to be Blaise.

"Having a little trouble, aren't we. I bet you wish your mud blood slut back, right?"

"I swear Zabini, if you don't shut up I will permanently shut your mouth for you," Harry said through clenched teeth, his knuckles white from gripping the knife to hard.

"I bet your beds pretty empty without that hoe of a mud blo-!" Blaise never finished his sentence as Harry lunged at him, both falling to the ground. Harry punched the wiggling form of Blaise, rage flowing through him like blood through veins.

Harry fists punched Blaise again and again and again until Harry felt someone grab him from under his armpits and lift his up, holding him back from lunging again. "You'll pay for that you bastard!" Harry screamed, fighting Ron's restraint on him.

"Harry! Mr. Potter!" Harry stopped struggling and looked over at Slughorn, who looked extremely surprised but a glint of sympathy was in his old eyes. "Mr. Goyle, please take Blaise to Madam Pomphrey." Goyle nodded and lumbered over to help Blaise off of the floor only to be pushed away by Blaise who was already on his feet and clutching a bloody nose. Blaise's nose was bent and blood was flowing down his face and onto his robes. One of his eyes was swollen shut but he still managed to glare with hatred at Harry before he left the classroom, Goyle following behind him.

"Alright!" Slughorn said, clapping his hands together. "Class is over. Leave your potions on my desk please." While everyone packed up quietly, Harry angrily stuffed his books into his bag. "Harry." He looked over to see Slughorn behind his desk, motioning for him to come over there.

"I'll be right back Ron," Harry said as he slung his bag over his shoulder and made his way over to Slughorn's desk, not even waiting for Ron's response.

"Yes professor?" Harry said through clenched teeth, still trying to control his anger.

"What was that all about Harry M'boy?"

"It was nothing," Harry said, looking away and instead took great interest at his feet. Slughorn sighed and put a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry looked up again and looked at Slughorn's sympathetic face.

"Harry. I know you're going through a tough time, but you can't let that distract you. Understood?" Harry nodded and Slughorn patted his shoulder, smiling comfortingly. Harry bid goodbye to Slughorn and walked out of the room, almost running into Ron, who was waiting outside the door.

"Mate, what was that about?" Ron said when he saw Harry, almost attacking him as he came out the door. Harry explained his entire outbreak during class, telling Ron what Blaise had said and what Slughorn had said as well as they made their way to the Common Room.

* * *

><p>"That little slimy git! I'll kill him, I swear!" Ron exclaimed, his face getting redder and redder by the second as he fell into one of the sofas in the Common Room.<p>

"No Ron, I don't want you to go to Azkaban and make me lose my other best friend," Harry said sadly as Harry took a seat, a small, fake smile on his face. Ron instantly calmed down and looked at Harry.

"Should we tell McGonagall?"

"No, just forget about it. We all know Blaise is just stupid and trying to get inside our heads. He's just Malfoy's replacement, is all."

"Alright. Hey, you wanna go get some dinner with me?" Harry smiled and shook his head. Ron nodded once and promised to bring him back something before he walked out of the portrait hole.

After Ron left and the Portrait door closed fully, Harry got up and trudged up to his dormitory and fell into his bed. He closed the drapes and put a Silencing Charm around him. He lay there and let the tears come out. This year was gonna suck without Hermione.

* * *

><p>Hermione sat leaning against a tree, looking out at the sunset. She brought a half eaten sandwich up to her mouth and took a small bite, forcing herself to chew and swallow the bit. She had never been that hungry ever since she had been bitten but she forced herself to eat.<p>

She had gone to a small muggle town a few days ago when her stock, (which had been refilled many times before) started to run low again. She was disguised of course, and she had restocked her food storage so it could last her another month or so. She still had a good amount of money left so she was able to buy more food when she needed it, even thought she ate very little.

She finished her sandwich, her stomach rumbling with displeasure but Hermione ignored it. She got up and walked back to the cottage. The full moon was in 4 days and Hermione decided that if would be best if she stayed at the cottage, the woods surrounding the cottage that was perfect for her in her wolf form.

She opened the old door, making it creak as it moved. She walked into the kitchen and went over to check the simmering potion inside her caldron. The potion was the same disgusting shade of brown that it was suppose to be. Hermione stirred it a few times and then left it be.

She turned the heater up and left the potion to simmer. Hermione walked into the living room and fell into the couch. She knew she wouldn't get to sleep any time soon due to her restlessness because of full moon being so close.

Hermione stared at the cracked ceiling, thinking about Hogwarts. The school year had already started, she knew. Did Snape come back? Did they let him come back? She almost laughed as those questions ran through her head. Of course he wouldn't be back and even if he did come back, they would send him to Azkaban on sight. He killed one of the most powerful, most respected headmasters in history. They would never let him back.

Was McGonagall headmistress now? Hermione guessed she was, she was the best candidate. Would Harry and Ron go back? She hoped they would. If they did go back, how would Harry and Ron do in their classes? Would they do their homework? Would they fail their classes and not bother to do their homework? Hermione couldn't hold back a laugh that built in her throat. She was here, lying on a dusty old couch somewhere in Scotland with the full moon days away and she was worrying about school.

She laughed more, the sound sounding distant in her ears, being a sound that she has not heard in a while. She turned to her side and twirled her wand, which was in her hand just in case something happened. She was being foolish. She was a werewolf, a murderer, on the run from the Ministry and Death Eaters and here she was worrying about what was happening at Hogwarts. She had bigger things to worry about. Slowly, her body gave away to her stress and exhaustion.

* * *

><p>Hermione sat on a rock deep in the forest, waiting for the sun to disappear and for blackness to take its place. The flask was clenched in her hand while Hermione sat. Deciding that she procrastinated for long enough, she opened the top of the flask and drank it as fast as she could.<p>

Throwing the flask on the green ground, she stood up and threw her wand next to the empty flask. Making sure no one was around; she pulled of her t-shirt and unzipped her jeans so she was standing only in her undergarments. After folding her shirt and pants and placing them next to her wand and flask in a neat pile, she removed the rest of her clothing.

The wind blew on her bare skin, making Hermione close her eyes and relish the cool air. The air was still slightly warm but it was starting to drop as fall started to get closer. Darkness was falling slowly around her and Hermione's senses started to skyrocket as the moon started to rise. Her skin started to tingle and it was only a matter of time until pain took its place.

In a matter of minutes, the moon shined down on Hermione, the rays hitting her skin, making it burn and feel like she was on fire. Hermione fell to her hands and knees, gritting her teeth against the pain, which was coming on strong. She had learned to control herself slightly but once her bones started to shape and her skin started stretch, Hermione let a scream of agony rip out of her throat.

After torturous minutes, a wolf two times the size of a regular wolf, with brown eyes and silver fur stood on all fours and lifted her head to the moon. Hermione was in complete control but she couldn't help herself as she gazed up at the full, bright moon. With a powerful voice, a howl erupted through the night and Hermione was glad that she had put up a Silencing Charm after all.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does.

Warning: Violence in this chapter

* * *

><p>Hermione opened her eyes and found herself looking into the grass, blades of the cool, green plant in her mouth and poking her face. She sat up slowly and stretched her sore muscles. She had always woken up sore and achy due to all of the running she did during the moon.<p>

Her wand, flask, and discarded clothes lay on the ground next to her curled up naked body. She remembered that she had laid down here while she was still in her wolf form and she had fallen asleep out here while waiting for the moon to go down.

Hermione stood up and stretched again, her muscles flexing and un-flexing as she moved. She let her arms fall back down to her sides, feeling a little more awake now. Running a hand through her tangled hair, she decided that she needed to wash up.

After putting a Cleaning Charm of her clothes that she had worn yesterday, she walked back to the cottage and she walked over to her trunk. After she took some more clothes and a brush out of her trunk, Hermione walked out of the cottage. Since it was abandoned, there was no running water but it was near a small river that Hermione used, with was very helpful.

After checking to make sure that no one was around, Hermione jogged into the woods and after a few minutes, the sound of water filled the air. Hermione walked into a small clearing and put her wand and her clothes on a rock near the edge of the water.

The river ran through the woods but went through a small clearing surrounded by rocks and trees. There was a large rock formation that dove down, making a small waterfall in the river. There was a small pool at the bottom of the waterfall and then the river continued on into the woods.

The water sparkled like diamonds as the rising sun hit the liquid. Hermione walked to the edge of the sparkling water. She walked around the ledge of the small pool and got to the waterfall. She carefully stepped under the falling water, letting the water pound against her bare skin, relaxing her muscles.

The cold water felt good on Hermione's skin and woke her up. She ran her hands through her hair and let the water wash as much dirt as it could out. _Damn…I wish I could get a real shower, _Hermione though.

She was hardly ever cold anymore, so the cold water didn't bother her. She just wished she didn't have to stand out in the open, naked, under a waterfall to get clean, but what could she do. It was the best there was now.

Hermione sighed and dove into the small pool. She swam to the edge to the pool, not coming up for air until she made it to the edge. She climbed out of the pool, using her upper arm strength to pull herself up and out of the water.

After casting the Drying Charm on herself, Hermione started putting on her clothes. She slipped into some comfortable running pants and was about to put on her shirt when she heard a rustle of a nearby bush.

Immediately, Hermione grabbed he wand and pointed it in the direction of the noise. Her brow creased together in confusion as the spot was empty. Her slowly relaxed and grabbed her shirt again, not letting go of her wand.

_It was probably just your imagination, _Hermione thought. She put on her shirt and was about to use the brush she had brought with her when she heard yet another rustle. She pointed her wand in the direction of the noise again but still didn't see anything.

She stood there in the clearing, blocking out the sound of running water and only focusing on any sound of rustling or footsteps. After a few minutes of hearing nothing, Hermione blinked out of her focus and gave the air a small sniff. She smelled nothing but the woods, water, and animals. Nothing out of the ordinary.

_Your just stressed and imagining things, _Hermione thought to herself. Hermione stiffly turned, not yet ready to relax, and walked as quietly as she could. She made it a few feet away from the clearing before three bright yellow stunners shot at her.

Hermione heard the spells flying through the air before she saw them. Hermione was just able to dive to the ground, throwing up dirt and grass, as the stunners missed her and flew over her head. She flipped around onto her back quickly and was on her feet in a flash.

Hermione's heart was beating wildly in her chest and her chest heaved slightly. Her wand was pointed out and she turned around again and again, looking for the people who had thrown the spells. Hermione listened to everything around her, yet she couldn't hear anything besides the water, her breathing, and the blood pounding in her ears.

She turned around just in time to see yet another stunner fly at her. Hermione dodged the spell gracefully by sidestepping the jet of yellow light as it flew right threw the space where she had just been standing. Hermione shot a stunner at the spot where the previous spell had just come from but nothing happened, the stunner just flew right into a tree, causing it to splinter.

Hermione was breathing very hard now. Adrenaline was rushing through her body as she turned around, desperate to find the attacker. Hermione heard someone whisper something and she turned around, halfway through the pronunciation of a Shielding Charm, when a spell crashed into her left shoulder.

Hermione flew back and hit a tree hard. She felt her ribs crush under the impact and her head hit the trunk hard, causing her vision to black out around the edges. Hermione quickly came to her senses, her hearing buzzing at first. Hermione's left arm was hanging limply at her side, her shoulder dislocated due to the spell. Hermione clambered to her feet, her right hand clutching her left side where the pain in her ribs was the most intense, and her wand was still in her grasp.

Hermione took her hand off of her side and pointed it in front of her, where three cloaked figures were walking towards her. Before Hermione could fire any spell, her wand flew out of her hand and landed behind the advancing figures.

"Hello mudblood." Hermione's eyes widened as she immediately recognized the voice of Lucius Malfoy. Hermione glared at him as he lifted up his mask and looked at her with cold, unforgiving eyes.

Lucius looked at the two other Death Eaters behind him and the two nodded, making the three look like they were telepathically communicating. The two Death Eaters, both heavy set with broad shoulders, came up and grabbed onto her shoulders painfully, the one death Eater squeezing her injured shoulder extra hard. Hermione winced but stood still and the Death Eaters yanked her arms back and tied them together at the wrist.

Lucius nodded in approval and put his wand back into his wand holster. "Come on, let's get out of here. We wouldn't want to keep the Dark Lord waiting, would we mudblood?" Lucius asked an evil grin across his face. He looked at her with a satisfactory smile on his face before he turned and started walking.

Hermione just glared at him and let them lead her through the woods in the opposite direction of the cottage. Lucius lead the small group while one of the heavy Death Eaters held onto her with his wand in the small of her back. The third Death Eater was walking behind them, making sure they weren't being followed.

Hermione glanced over at the Death Eater who was holding her, feeling his wand start to slowly move away from her back without him knowing. Hermione waited until the Death Eater looked away before acting.

Hermione twisted around and knocked the Death Eater to the ground, knocking the wind out of him. With one powerful kick to the head, she knocked him out and was able to dodge the two stunners sent by Lucius and the other Death Eater.

With one swift and painful movement, Hermione broke the rope that was wrapped around her wrists and dodged another spell. Hermione turned and broke into a run, sprinting through the trees. She heard Lucius shouting and both Death Eaters running after her through the woods.

She ran with supernatural speed through the woods, jumping over logs and rocks and tree roots, her pants causing her broken ribs to ache severely. Hermione looked behind her and didn't see them, though she could still hear them cursing and stumbling. Hermione stopped and hid behind a large tree, trying to slow down her breathing and waited to surprise her two attackers. The heavy Death Eater, surprisingly, came into view first and ran in her direction.

When he ran past the tree where Hermione was hiding, Hermione stuck her foot out and the Death Eater fell hard to the ground. Hermione jumped on his and knocked his wand out of his hand. The Death Eater punched her hard in her stomach and Hermione fell off of him.

Hermione rolled out of the way and stood up on her feet, trying to ignore her throbbing body. She kicked the Death Eater in the head but her grasped her ankle in his beefy hands and twisted, making Hermione fall as a snap echoed through the woods. Hermione fell, her ankle throbbing, making it hard to move. The Death Eater started to rise to his feet but Hermione grabbed his leg and pulled him to the ground, where he hit his head on a rock and a dull cracking sound went through the air.

Hermione crawled to her knees and pushed herself up off the ground, standing with all of her weight on her good ankle while her broken ankle was just skimming the ground. Hermione looked down at the Death Eater and her eyes grew wide as a puddle of blood was starting to pool around his cracked open head.

Hermione looked away and tried to control her stomach from expelling everything she ate in the past few days. Her shoulder and rib cage was throbbing painfully but Hermione straightened up anyway. She looked around her quickly and alertly, looking for Lucius. she turned around, hopping on her good foot, trying to find him. She focused on the noises around her and heard a rustle from the trees behind her.

All of a sudden, something tackled her to the ground just as Hermione swung around with her hand balled into a fist. Her fist connected with his jaw just as her back hit the ground hard. Hermione rolled around, trying to get free but froze when Lucius dug his wand deep into her neck.

"You've caused enough trouble, you filthy mudblood," he said, breathing heavily, his hair falling in his face. He got up and pulled Hermione up with him, his wand still in her neck. Hermione glared at him and kneed him swiftly in the stomach with the leg with the broken ankle. He fell to the ground, letting go of Hermione as Hermione grabbed his wand out of his hands. Before he could move an inch, Hermione shot a stunner and he was out cold.

Hermione hobbled away from the unconscious form of Lucius Malfoy and painfully limped back to the place where her wand lay on the ground. She picked it up and slowly made her way back to the cottage.

Blinking blood out of her eyes from a long gash, Hermione limped into the cottage and waved her wand, packing everything into her trunk. She looked down and noticed she was still holding Lucius' wand in her hand. Hermione sighed and tucked Lucius; wand into her pocket, thinking it would come in handy to have two wands at hand.

Hermione rubbed her burning eyes. All she wanted to do was sleep but she knew she wouldn't be able to. She had to move, now. And she had to do it quickly. After summoning her trunk to her, she shrunk her trunk and stuffed it into pocket.

Hermione gritted her teeth as she moved her limp arm with her still working arm. It was dislocated but it would have to wait, as well as her ribs and her ankle. She needed to go far away. They had found her sooner that she had expected. She couldn't stay here; she needed to leave now.

Hermione closed her eyes and thought hard about her destination. In a split second, Hermione disappeared with a slight crack.

* * *

><p>"WHAT! WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE GOT AWAY?" Voldemort screamed. The Death Eaters that were kneeling on the ground before him flinched.<p>

"My Lord, we had her but she caught us off guard."

"I GAVE YOU ONE SIMPLY TASK AND YOU SCREW IT ALL UP. HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO CAPTURE A 17 YEAR OLD GIRL!"

"My Lord….."

"I don't want to hear it Lucius. We've already lost three of our Death Eaters to her and now another one is added because of your foolishness!" Voldemort threw a wand at Lucius, hitting him in the stomach. "Next time, don't lose your wand to a 17 year old girl or you won't get another one. Now get out of my sight!"

* * *

><p>Harry woke up, sweat pouring down his face and his clothes soaked in sweat. Harry gasped and tried to calm his burning scar. "Mate, you okay?" Harry looked over and saw Ron sitting up on his bed, looking concerned.<p>

Harry nodded, wiping sweat off of his forehead. "It was Voldemort, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, he's mad about something. He was screaming about how something got away or something, I really can't remember. I just know that he's angry."

"Should we tell McGonagall?" Ron asked.

"In the morning, I don't want to bother her now. It's not that important," Harry said, his voice sounding distant. Ron nodded, still half asleep, and lay back down, saying good night to Harry. Harry lay back down, his thoughts still on his weird dream. _I wonder what got away, _Harry though while he fell back to sleep.


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does.

* * *

><p>Harry sat with his arms on his knees, leaning against a tree fiddling with a blade of grass between his fingers. A light breeze swept through the air and ruffled his messy black hair. His dull green eyes were cloudy as he looked over the calm waters of Hogwarts' Lake. An occasional splash and ripple in the water was caused by one of the Giant Squid's tentacles.<p>

Harry looked away and turned his attention to the fresh, cool grass in between his fingers. Her grabbed a fistful of grass and threw it to his right side. Harry looked up again; his eyes slightly squinted.

The sun slowly sunk as Harry watched the lake. His shadow stretched to the side as the sun got nearer and nearer to the horizon, the sun's last light hitting Harry, making his glasses sparkle. The grounds were clear of any other students or teachers, besides Harry, due to it being dinner time.

But Harry wasn't hungry, not in the slightest bit. He was hardly ever hungry and most days he forced himself to eat three meals a day, but not today. He couldn't even look at food, let alone hear the talking and laughter that always filled the Great Hall. He didn't get why people could be so happy. Some people didn't even notice she was missing; some people just ignored it.

In his classes, hardly anyone answered a question and he could tell from the looks of some of his professors that they missed her to, especially Professor McGonagall, with Hermione being her favorite student.

He thought about this morning. He had told McGonagall about his dream and she had though it would be best if he would start to learn Occlumency again. They had both agreed that it would be the best and McGonagall figured that since Snape was gone (and nobody planned on having him coming back), she would try to find a new teacher for him. One that was more helpful than Snape had been.

Harry sighed and stood up, shoved his hands into his pockets. Slowly, he walked down to the edge of the lake and stood looking out. He kicked at the water, like he was blaming it for all that had happened. He leaned down and picked up a rock, rubbing its smooth surface with his thumb. With one flick of his arm, the rock skipped three times across the lake until it sunk into the deep waters.

Harry tried to blink tears out of his eyes but a few tears escaped and slid down his face. Harry wiped his eyes while more tears fell, some hitting the sandy ground below him. Harry fell to his knees, his shoulders shaking as the tears turned into quiet sobs.

It was his entire fault. If she had not befriended him, Voldemort would not have been after her. She would still be here. She would be right beside him. The Golden Trio would be side by side, working together to find the Horcruxes. They would all be together working to defeat Voldemort, the bane of everyone's existence.

Harry calmed himself down and wiped his eyes while standing up. He brushed the sand from his pants and straightened his glasses, taking a deep, calming breath. He started his trudge back to the main doors and very slowly, progress was made and he reached the giant oak doors.

He slipped inside and closed the doors quietly. He could hear students chatting and laughing happily from within the doors of the Great Hall, making him feel sick inside. He quickly made it up the many staircases and to the Fat Lady. He said the password, which opened the portrait hole and allowed Harry into the Common Room.

The Common Room was thankfully empty, but books were left open and parchment and quills lay beside them. An unfinished game of Wizard Chess was set up near the couch with a squishy arm chair pulled up so it was facing the couch. The still setting sun was filtering in through the red curtains, illuminating everything it touched.

Harry quickly walked up the 7th year boy staircase and shut the door behind him. He collapsed onto his bed and shut the bed hanging with a flick of his wand. The sunlight was the only thing lighting up the room and Harry found that fact very calming.

He closed his eyes and placed a Silencing Charm around his bed. It wasn't fair. He was the one Voldemort wanted to kill and here he was, lying on a warm bed in one of the safest places in the world while Hermione was running around the country….or worse.

_No!_ Harry forced himself not to think about that horrible option. She had to be alive. Harry rolled over and looked at his calendar through his thin bed hangings. He had always liked the muggle rip off calendars and though it was pretty convenient to have by his bed.

Harry moved his hangings out of the way and grasped the calendar. He moved his arm back inside the bed hangings and rolled back onto his back, his eyes never leaving the calendar. His eyes filled with tears for the second time today and they spilled out, one by one, only to get absorbed by the white pillow beneath Harry's head.

Harry clutched the calendar to his chest and a chocked sob escaped his throat. He needed her so much it hurt. It felt like a knife getting repeatedly stabbed into his chest whenever he thought about her. What if he never got the chance to tell her how he felt? The thought only made the knife stabbed harder and deeper into his chest.

_It's all my fault. It's all my fault. It's all my fault. _Harry left out a half scream, half sob and jumped off the bed, bringing his fist into the wall next to his bed as he moved up from the bed, the calendar sitting face down on the bed.

His fist left cracks in the wall as well as a big gash across his knuckle, but Harry didn't register the pain. Why did everyone in his life have to disappear when he needed them most? Harry gave another angry cry and slammed his already injured fist into the wall again, this time his fist going through the wall, leaving a big hole.

Harry turned in a blinded rage and kicked his trunk which was besides the bed. Blood was running down his clenched hand and was dripping onto the floor in small drops of crimson. Harry ignored his injury and grabbed the calendar from the bed, smears of blood getting on the blanket.

Harry looked at the date on the calendar and let a loud, chocked sob out. His face was flushed and wet with tears. With one swift movement, Harry threw the calendar across the room and fell to the floor, his back leaning against the bed, his cries echoing through the room, the little sunlight that was left falling on the calendar that lay at the other side of the room.

The calendar was face up, showing the day's date in big, black letters.

The date was September 19th.

Hermione's birthday.

A birthday that she would never celebrate.

* * *

><p>Hermione walked silently through the open clearing, the oval moon the only light in the dark night. Even though it was dark and there was hardly any light, Hermione could see perfectly, due to her now wolf-like vision.<p>

She had disapparated from the cottage and had appeared close to Paisley. It had been about a week since the attack from the three Death Eaters and she had stopped for a few days in Paisley until her injuries had healed. But Hermione had long since passed Paisley. She was still a little sore from the attack but her bones had fix themselves. Her arm was once again movable and she was able to lean on her ankle without sharp pain shooting through her leg.

Hermione sighed and continued her hike across the long strip of land. She had taken to traveling to night now. After two Death Eater attacks, Hermione thought that it would be safer to travel in the dark.

Hermione looked up at the moon as she continued to walk. The quarter moon shone calmly on Hermione, illuminating her face in pale white light. She felt so lonely, so alone in this clearing. She wished that Harry and Ron were next to her, standing right beside her.

She thought at the end of 6th year that she would be out here hunting down Horcruxes instead of running away from her friends and family, trying to protect them from herself. She thought that she would be standing next to Ron and Harry, fighting Death Eaters with them by her side. But instead, she was sadly alone.

Tears flooded her eyes for the billionth time since she was bitten on that horrid night. An animalistic growl erupted deep in Hermione's throat as tears glistened on her face in the moonlight. Her whole life was completely fucked up and all because of Voldemort. God, she hoped that Harry would kill him, or she would. She would rip his throat right out and snap his neck.

Hermione took a deep breath and gained control of her violent thoughts. She forced herself to focus on walking, but failed miserably as her thoughts took control once again.

She wondered what Harry and Ron and Ginny and all the rest were doing. She wondered what her parents were doing. Were they safe all alone in their muggle house, with no magical protections around them? Was the Order still looking for her? Was the ministry sill looking? If they were, they were probably looking all over Scotland, Wales, and England. One day she would get caught, but she didn't plan on that being anytime soon so she kept on pushing forward a little faster.

Maybe they took her note seriously and decided not to even pay attention to her disappearance, to just let her go. Hermione, deep down, wanted them to look for her. She wanted them to find her but she pushed that desire down and ignored it, knowing that it was best that they didn't know where she was.

She never wanted anyone to get hurt. She had done everything to try to stop that possibility from ever happening, yet it still did. Even though they were Death Eaters, she still killed. Those deaths could have been her family or her friends.

If she was at Hogwarts, she wouldn't be able to protect herself. Sure she could tell McGonagall and she could get Wolfsbane, go into the Shrieking Shack, and wait until the moon was over. She didn't have anyone who was an animagus to keep her from going crazy. She couldn't resist though urges to run even with the Wolfsbane. If she was locked up, she would break out just because it was too confined.

She didn't think that it would be very safe to run around the Hogwarts grounds without people finding out about her. She was terrified, to say the least, of what people would think. Would she still have friends? Would people be scared of her? Would they shun her and make her the loner? She couldn't face that possibility.

What would happen to her if she went back? Would the Ministry find out that she had killed the Death Eaters? Would she go to Azkaban for murder or would she be pronounced a hero? Hermione almost laughed at that absurd though, she was positive that is would be the latter.

Hermione wiped her eyes and looked around her. She was scared. She was scared out her all alone. She wished she was with Harry and Ron, wherever they were. She missed them so much. She wondered if they missed her too.

Hermione wanted to go back so much. Could she ever go back? She hoped she could. Maybe after all of this was sorted out and she was more experienced with the full moon. Her stomach twisted in guilt as she thought about Harry and Ron trying defeat Voldemort without her. She had left them with no help whatsoever. She at least hoped that they had enough sense to ask the Order to help them with Horcruxes.

Hermione kept on walking. Her legs hardly got tired anymore and she could walk 10 times as much as a normal person, maybe more. Hermione sighed as a cool wind blew, making trees rattle and leaves fall off of the branches. Fall was coming in fast but the night still had a long way to go. Hermione stuffed her hands into her pockets and kept walking, something she would have to do a lot of tonight.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does.

* * *

><p>A silver wolf bent her head down and her pink tongue escaped her lips, dipping into the small pond and capturing water. The wolf lapped up the clear, cold water, cool wind blowing through her fur, ruffling the soft, silver hair. Even though the frigid wind was blowing through her fur, Hermione didn't feel it through her thick coats.<p>

Hermione lifted her head, her ears back and drops of water caught in the fur of her muzzle, occasionally dripping off and landing into the small pond, creating small ripples in the water. The sound of the trees rustling around her made Hermione prick her ears back. Dead, colorful leaves were picked up by the wind and were scattered through the air around her.

Hermione put her head down and looked into the water. A few leaves had landed in the clear water and the ripples caused by the disturbance were just disappearing. The water shimmered as the moonlight hit it while Hermione looked into the water. She stared at her reflection, feeling a little strange as she looked into the water only to see a silver wolf looking back at her.

The moonlight reflected of Hermione's silver coat and her brown eyes seemed to glow in the darkness. Hermione stared into the water, looking at her wolf's reflection. Her eyes seemed to be glued to the water as she continued to stare at the reflection.

A small growl erupted from the back of her throat and her lips drew back slightly, revealing the bottom of her sharp, deadly teeth. With one swift swipe, Hermione's large, silver paw lifted from the ground and hit the water. Cold water flew in the air and Hermione's reflection was scattered and disturbed.

Hermione looked away from the liquid and sat down heavily with a huff, falling sideways onto the ground. Her legs were laying straight out, her front paws crossed. The moon shined down on her. Woods surrounded her and the wind was picking up again, ruffling her fur. She closed her eyes and exhaled deeply.

After a few quiet seconds, she huffed in annoyance and rolled over to her other side. With an irritated whine, she picked herself up and paced on her four legs, back and forth, over and over again. She could hardly stand it anymore. She wished that all of her thoughts would just disappear. She wished her mind would just go numb, that if would leave her alone. Memories kept flooding her brain, memories of her friends and family haunted her. They always did. She was always thinking about them, worried about them, wondering what they were doing.

Hermione stopped pacing and sat down again, restless. She was scared, she couldn't deny that fact. She felt scared all alone, surrounded only by the trees and the air around her. Even now when she was a gigantic monster, she still was scared. Hermione was still in control; the wolf inside her was contained by the potion.

The moon was brighter than ever before as Hermione craned her neck and looked out onto the glittering pond, her brown eyes captured by the sparkle of the light on the water. It was almost peaceful…almost. If she wasn't sitting in the forest alone, far away from her friends, with the full moon beating down on her, fear swallowing her up, then it would be peaceful.

Hermione slowly looked away from the water and raised her silver covered head, her fur bristling on her body and her snout pointed to the sky. The wind started to pick up around her, causing her fur to flow to her left side. Hermione closed her eyes slowly and opened her muzzle slightly. A ghostly howl came out from deep within her chest, barely audible at first but slowly the volume climbed with increasing strength.

The howl flowed out of Hermione and swept through the empty woods, the wind picking up strongly and ruffling the trees violently, making dozens of colorful leaves fall off. The wind carried her howl, a ghostly reminder of what Hermione had become. A howl so full of sadness and fear and loneliness.

The howl of a monster.

A lost monster.

A lost soul.

* * *

><p>His fingers fiddled with each other as they sat on his lap, his leg causing them to bounce up and down in no specific rythmn. His right hand was bandaged in white gauze, covering the wound on his knuckle tightly. He turned his head slightly to see his red-haired best friend nervously biting his nails, his blue eyes darting around the room.<p>

Harry looked around the room. An empty desk with numerous papers, quills, ink, and other random objects that neatly placed on the wooden surface sat in front of him. The office had less random objects than when Dumbledore was Headmaster but more bookshelves decorated the walls around the office, many overflowing with knowledge. Most of the portraits were sleeping or conversing with other portraits, while a few were staring at the two wizards sitting in the chairs before them. Dumbledore was snoring quietly in his frame, making Harry's heart sink with both sadness and disappointment.

The door opened and closed suddenly, causing Ron to jump while Harry was able to control himself. McGonagall swiftly steered herself to her desk and sat down. She looked tired and many years older then she really was, the wrinkles in her skin standing out more and bags under her eyes.

McGonagall folded her hands in front of her, placing them on the top of her desk. "I trust that you both know why I call you up here to speak with you," McGonagall started, receiving nods from both wizards in front of her. "Good, good. I feel it is necessary to tell you both that there was another Death Eater found dead, this time in Scotland."

"Why didn't the Prophet have it then?" Ron interrupted.

"The Prophet does not wish to scare people anymore. With You-Know-Who still out there and then a werewolf attack and now another attack, the Prophet is trying to keep people as calm as they can."

"But Professor, why would people get scared if they know Death Eaters are dying. Isn't that a good thing?" Harry almost laughed at Ron's oblivious nature.

"Mr. Weasley, we don't know who killed the Death Eaters. A werewolf attack and now a Death Eaters' head getting cracked open on a rock scare people because they don't know if the attacks were random or if the person purposely chose to kill the Death Eaters," McGonagall said slowly. Ron nodded, finally understanding, and let McGonagall continue.

"The Order came across the body just yesterday and turned it into the Ministry. I was just told today. They just started to search for Horcruxes in Scotland. They split up in pairs so they can search quicker. They aren't really focusing on a specific one, right now they are just trying to see if they can find one. We are still searching Britain and Wales. We might be close to one in Wales but were not su-."

"Are there any signs of Hermione?" Harry spoke suddenly, cutting McGonagall sentence off. McGonagall looked at Harry, her heart breaking as she heard the desperation in his voice.

"Harry," McGonagall spoke softly, "we're trying the hardest we ca-."

"What about the Ministry, huh?" Harry said, his voice rising and his jaw clenched in anger as he stood up and turned to face away from the desk. "What are they doing? Probably sitting on their lazy ars-."

"Mr. Potter! I know you are frustrated but I will not tolerate that language in my presence! Now it true that we are trying our hardest. The Order is searching for her while they look the Horcruxes and the Ministry is trying! Miss. Granger might not want to be found! We might have to listen to what she wrote in her-."

"BULLSHIT!" Harry screamed, turning around to face the Headmistress, his face now the shade of Ron's hair. "They're not trying! The Ministry is ignoring this completely! She's been gone for months and she is still missing! If they were actually trying, she would have been found already!"

"Mate, calm down," Ron said out of the corner of his mouth, looking very uncomfortable. He turned slightly in his chair and tugged on Harry's sleeve, his blue eyes never leaving the shocked face of McGonagall. Harry shrugged Ron off of him and paced wildly in between the desk and the two chairs facing it.

"We shouldn't give up! She out there! What if she gets hurt or captured or killed!" Harry yelled, gesticulating wildly as he walked. "We have to find her!"

"Mr. Potter! Just-!"

"She all alone out there! We have to find her!"

"Mr. Potter! We are trying! There are many things going on right now and it's very difficult to-!"

"She should be the first thing we are focusing on! She could get killed! She could get captured! God, she could die! Don't you understand that?" Harry was screaming at the top of his lungs at this point, McGonagall's yells not even reaching his ears.

"Oh God! She could die." There was a short pause until Harry spoke again. "She could already be dead," his voice barley a whisper, his voice cracking at the end of his sentence. He was crying now, his shoulders shaking as he sobbed.

"She could be dead. She could be dead and you don't even CARE!" Harry screamed. Ron stood quickly as Harry screamed the last part of his sentence but before he could reach the crying wizard, Harry bolted out of the office and shut the door with a _slam!_

The two people were left standing in the office, both not taking their eyes off of the door from which Harry just ran out of. Ron slowly turned around to face the shocked expression on McGonagall.

"I….err… I should probably go. Ummm… thank you Professor," Ron said, rubbing his neck uncomfortably, his face getting redder by the second, obviously shocked by Harry's emotional show.

"You might want to leave Mr. Potter alone for a bit. I don't want to see you in the Hospital Wing." Ron tried to smile at McGonagall's joke but it turned out to be more like a grimace. He nodded to her and said goodbye, earning one from McGonagall. She watched as he exited the office and waited until the door was shut fully before she collapsed into her chair, her head leaning on her hands.

"He loves her." McGonagall lifted her head and turned to face the now awake portrait of Albus Dumbledore. She sighed and her shoulders slumped.

"I know Albus, I know."

"Things will get better Minerva, don't worry."

"How can you say that? Everything is falling apart. Harry is lost without Miss. Granger and Mr. Weasley is no help in this situation. The Order is falling apart without your guidance and You-Know-Who is getting stronger. I don't know how we are going to make it."

Dumbledore's portrait looked down on the defeated figure that was his replacement. "Never give up hope, Minerva. Thing will always get better, it just might take some time." McGonagall looked up and gave a small smile. "Oh and Minerva, don't forget… fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself," Dumbledore spoke softly and even though it was only his portrait, a familiar twinkle was in his eyes.

* * *

><p>Harry walked silently into the Great Hall with Ron, Ginny, and Neville with him. Neville was trying to hold a conversation with the three of them, Ginny mostly talking but with a distant tone in her voice. Ron tossed in a comment, usually a few words, once and a while, while Harry just followed the small group, not saying anything.<p>

Jack-O-Lanterns floated above them instead of the usual plain candles. Decorative bats hung from the ceiling and all of the ghost of Hogwarts floated here and there, going straight through tables and sometimes even people. Laughter and animated talking filled the air and seemed to suffocate Harry as he took a seat next to Ron at the Gryffindor table. Ginny sat in front of them, replacing a certain brown-haired girl that was absent throughout the entire Great Hall, throughout all of Hogwarts.

Harry sat staring at the table, not even looking up when McGonagall waved her hand over the Great Hall, causing platters of endless platters with food to appear on the four different colored tables. Immediately, every entity in the Great Hall (besides Harry) started to dig into the food in front of them, stuffing their plates until the food hung off of the edge of the plate and hovered above the table. Ron and Ginny tried to act as happy as possible as they took some food off of the platters and poured themselves glasses of pumpkin juice.

Eventually, Harry pulled his eyes away from the table and reached for the first platter he saw, which were mashed potatoes. He filled his plate just so Ginny didn't annoy him by nagging him that he should eat more. He leaned his head against his right hand and grabbed a fork with his left. He pushed his food around while talking, laughter, and the clanking of silverware on plates filled the air around him. He completely oblivious to the worried looks his friends were throwing him.

The feast seemed to last an eternity while Harry sat there, pushing the food on his plate around. Finally all of the food disappeared and Harry immediately stood up and made his way to the doors. He hurried up the Grand Staircase and let his feet carry him to his destination, reminding him of his first year again.

He made it to the old door of the girl's bathroom and slipped inside, not even bothering to look around to see if anyone was watching. The door closed behind him with a dull thud. Harry stood there looking around the bathroom. The stalls were on one side and the sinks were facing the stalls.

Harry's chest ached as he remembered the troll lumbering through the door and smashing the stalls and sinks. He remembered hearing Hermione's scream, a scream that stopped his heart as it replayed in his mind. He walked on unsteady feet and walked by the sinks, running his hands across the chipped surface.

Harry made it to the end of the bathroom before his legs gave out from underneath him. His back hit the wall and he slid down the wall. He hit the ground and his legs bent slightly. He remembered the troll being so close to hurting Hermione. That night was one of the best and worst days of his life.

He remembered all of his years here at Hogwarts, all of the memories with Ron and Hermione by his side. Except this year. This year was incomplete without Hermione. The Golden Trio was incomplete. Harry was incomplete. He wanted so badly to just go out there and search for her himself, but her knew he couldn't. It would just make things worse. He had to trust the Order. He had to trust that they would find her. He would just have to wait and he would wait forever for her to come back.

* * *

><p>Author's Note: Hey! Sorry it took so long to update again. I had a little writer's block on this chapter but I think it turned out okay. I don't know when I'm going to be able to update again but hopefully it will be soon, I've been really busy with the end of the year coming up and also with graduation so close. Thank you all for reading my story! You guys are awesome! :D<p> 


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does.

* * *

><p>Hermione rummaged through her small bag of all of her miscellaneous objects and clothes, finally finding what she was searching for. After placing the small bag on the rotten table next to her caldron, Hermione knelt in front of it. She reached her right arm out and grasped the small bag, opening it.<p>

Inside sat a small amount of ingredients that she had purchased in an extremely small Wizarding village that she had luckily come across. She lay them down on the table one by one on the table. There was maybe just enough to make a Wolfsbane potion for this moon and maybe the next. Hermione was just lucky that the witch who sold the ingredients to her didn't ask any questions and let her pay in muggle money, being a muggleborn witch herself.

Hermione flicked her wand and a small spark shot out, creating a small flame underneath the caldron that was in front of her. Hermione kneeled down in front of the table and put her arms on her lap, sighing in deep thought. She watched the small flame flicker in front of her, lighting up her face. She would have to make the Wolfsbane at some point; the moon was only about a week away.

But she didn't really care what time or day it was. It all felt like the same day to her. The days seemed to melt into each other. She no longer knew what day it was or even what month it was. All she knew was the moon. All she knew was that time kept going; that the moon's cycles kept passing based on the growing restlessness in her muscles.

Hermione shook herself mentally and focused on the task in front of her. She lifted her hands and sat straighter on the floor, slowly slipped the remaining minimal amounts of ingredients into the ingredient bag and gingerly put them back into her bag full of all of her remaining possessions. She grabbed the knife that was next to her bag and reached for the rat tails, expertly cutting them and tossed them into the caldron, staring at the table while the rat tails dropped into the caldron.

She stood up slowly and looked at the caldron and the small flame underneath it. She would need to leave the caldron to simmer before she could put the rest of the ingredients in. she sighed and looked away, crossing her arms over her chest, absentmindedly rubbing her covered arms with her hands.

She looked around the small room, only a small lamp and the small flame lighting it. _Not like it matters,_ Hermione thought. She didn't really need any light after all. The room was small, a rotten table taking up most of the middle and a moth-eaten bed shoved into the corner, making the room extremely crowded. The lamp was sitting by the bed on the ground, the light chasing the shadows away from it.

Hermione walked to a small window and peered out. The window was cracked and grimy, enough dirt on it that if Hermione wanted to, she could scrape of layers of filth. Hermione squinted her eyes and could just barely see the trees and grass outside. The sky was gray and cloudy and Hermione could smell rain on its way.

Her eyes darted around while she stared outside. She always felt like she was being watched and she had a reason to feel that too. A cold chill snuck into the room through multiple cracks in the wood walls. Hermione turned around after a few minutes and grabbed her wand that was sitting next to the caldron.

Her arms were wrapped around herself and her wand was gripped tightly in her right hand as she sat down on the bed in the corner. The bed itself was old and the mattress was moth-eaten, the springs sticking out and poking Hermione, not like she cared. She was just thankful that she found this place. She was tired and sick of camping in small caves that she had found. She was at least thankful that she had somewhere that had a bed, broken or not.

Hermione leaned forward, her arms around her stomach as she looked at the small flame underneath the caldron. Her eyes drooped a little but she shook herself out of her tiredness. Her lack of sleep was obvious by the dark, purple bags under her eyes. She never liked to go to sleep anymore. She always felt like someone would sneak up on her.

She looked around the room again, moving her head slowly, like she was trying to not cause herself pain. She had put protections up again but she kept the light on anyway as she lay down on the bed, lying on her back with her wand clutched in her hand, which was lying on her stomach. She stared up at the cracked ceiling listening to the caldron simmer.

Her eyebrows narrowed in confusion as thoughts raced through her mind as she lay there. She sighed and turned over on her side so that she was facing away from the wall behind her. She wondered if the Order and the Ministry were still looking for her or if they had given up. If they had been looking had enough, they would have found her. The Death Eaters had found her multiple times but the Order and Ministry haven't even found her once.

Her heart ached as the thought that Harry and Ron had forgotten about her popped into her mind. Have they given up? Have they just forgot about her and went on with their lives? Tears sprung into her eyes and she tried to blink them away. They kept flowing through and Hermione closed her eyes tightly, tears slowly crawling down her face.

What if they did just forget about her and went on with their lives? Would they just ignore her if she did happen to go back? Would they shun her away? A sob escaped her throat and she curled up on the bed. She just hoped that she was wrong.

* * *

><p>Harry sat slumped in a chair, his left arm lying on the table while he rested his head on his left hand. His leg was the only thing moving as it bounced up and down underneath the table. A big, torn, musty book with the cover almost completely ripped off sat on the table next to his arm, his free hand flipping to the next page every few minutes.<p>

A stack of parchment with a bottle of ink and a quill lay beside him on the table next to a stack of four other books, each one of them equally as old as the one Harry was currently reading. Harry turned the page, blinking a few time to refocus his vision. He sighed out of boredom and took of his glasses, rubbing his face and eyes with his hand.

After putting his glasses back on his face, he looked over at the parchment beside his and reached over to grab it. He sat up straighter in his chair and looked at his work written on the piece of parchment. The words were scribbled on the parchment messily and were written in dark, black ink.

_**Horcruxes:**_

_**1. The diary (destroyed)**_

_**2. The ring (destroyed)**_

_**3. The locket**_

_**4. Nagini (maybe)**_

_**5. Hufflepuff's cup **_

_**6. Something of Ravenclaw's**_

_**7. Something of Gryffindor's**_

Harry took the parchment in his hand and transferred it to the bottom of the stack. Another piece of parchment was underneath the previous and it too had words scrawled with ink.

_**Possible objects from Ravenclaw:**_

_**1. Diadem**_

_**2. Flute **_

_**3. Wand**_

_**Possible **__**objects from Gryffindor:**_

_**1. Shield**_

_**2. Bow**_

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose and put the stack of parchment down. He had been here for hours and had hardly gotten any information. He sighed and put his arms down on the table, once again trying to focus on the book before him. His eyes traveled past each word, not really seeing what each one said.

After a few wasted minutes, Harry groaned quietly in aggravation and irritation. He couldn't focus on anything anymore. It took him hours to get the information he already had, who knew how long it would take to get something that could actually help the Order with the horcruxes.

Harry had to admit, he felt pretty useless. He could barely read a page in a book without getting distracted. He could barely sleep and eat. Heck! He couldn't even play Quidditch without getting distracted and getting hit with a bludger.

Harry ran a hand through his unruly hair. He checked his watch and found out that he had missed dinner. It didn't make a difference though, he wouldn't have eaten that much anyway. Harry leaned back in his chair and sighed again, gazing at all of the books, parchment, and other supplies before him on the long, mahogany table.

He sighed and stood up, gathering the parchment into a neat pile. He stacked the books into a pile and put the top back onto the ink bottle and put the quill next it. He stuffed the parchment into his bag along with the ink and quill and then gathered up the stack of books into his arms.

Harry walked along the isles of books, eventually finding the spot for each book one by one. He turned the corner with only two books in his hands. He had thought about checking them out but them thought against it. They would just sit beside his bed in his dormitory collecting dust. He would never be able to concentrate, let alone read a book in quiet in his dorm.

He slipped the books into the book rack and slowly made his way to his table. He slung his bag over his shoulder and walked out of the library doors.

"Harry!" Harry turned around only to have Ron run straight into him. Harry stumbled but was able to steady himself and Ron before falling. Harry straightened himself up and looked at Ron, who was breathing heavily in front of him, leaning on his knees.

"Bloody hell Ron, why are you in such a rush?" Harry interrogated as he bent over to pick up his bag which had fallen off of his shoulder during the collision. Ron straightened up, breathing a little easier, and took a deep, steadying breath.

"Mate… they found one." Harry narrowed his eyes and looked at his best friend in front of him in confusion.

"Wait. What did they find?" Ron looked around the empty hallway and through the library doors just to make sure nobody was around before he spoke.

"Harry…the Order found a horcrux." Harry's eyes widened and he felt a small flame of hope spark to life inside of him. He looked at Ron urgently.

"Which one?" Harry asked quickly but quietly.

"The locket. Ginny came and told me that Professor McGonagall needed to see me right after dinner. I have to admit that she looked really suspicious about what McGonagall wanted. Anyway, I went to her office and Order members were there and-."

"Ron, I don't mean to be mean but I really don't need to hear the story." Ron nodded, his eyes moving to the ground. Harry looked at his best friend and then started walking away, leaving his bag where it was on the ground, not caring about it.

"Well…come on then Ron," Harry said as a small smile spread across his face, "We got a Horcrux to destroy."

The first thing Harry noticed when he and Ron stepped into McGonagall's office was that the room was full of members of the Order. Lupin and Tonks were standing near the desk and McGonagall was sitting in her chair. Moody and Charlie Weasley were in one corner near the bookcases. Kingsley was standing with his arms crossed, looking at everybody in the room one after another. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley stood together next to Bill and Fleur. Fred and George were leaning against the wall a few feet away from Kingsley. A few members that Harry didn't know were also scattered amongst the crowded room.

Without Harry realizing it, the door shut slowly with a bang behind the two members of the Golden Trio, causing everyone to turn their heads to face Harry and Ron.

"I see you finally found him Weasley," Moody growled.

"Oh calm down Moody," Remus said. He looked at Harry and tried to manage a small smile, which he pulled off quite well. He reached into his robe and pulled out a locket dangling on a sturdy silver chain. Harry walked forward through the crowd and Lupin placed the locket into Harry's palm.

As soon as the metal touched Harry's skin, a short searing pain shot through his head and he couldn't help but wince and bring a hand up to his scar. Remus looked at him with concern as did the other Order members.

"Harry, are you ok?" Harry looked up at Lupin.

"Yeah…yeah, I'm fine… It's nothing," Harry mumbled, shaking his head slightly. The burning in his head had toned down to a dull prickling sensation and Harry looked back down at the locket in his hands.

The locket itself was heavy, maybe three or four pounds. The locket and chain were flawless, with not a single scratch or dent or bent in the metal. It was shiny, the light reflecting off of its surface as Harry moved it in his hands. It was mostly gold besides a small ring of silver on the edges. A small green snake was in the middle, its head back with its tongue out. Underneath the snake, in small letters, 'Salazar Slytherin' was engraved in fancy, cursive writing. A chain was connected to the top of the locket. The chain was silver and on the thin side but it was strong and dependable.

Harry felt someone walk up beside him and he broke his gaze from the locket only to have his eyes meet the eyes of his best friend. Ron looked at him questioningly and Harry nodded curtly, handing him the locket. He watched Ron observe the locket for a few seconds. The quiet in the room was finally broken by Ron after his gaze left the locket, which was still in his hands, dangling for the chain.

"It's great that we got a Horcrux but there's one problem." Ron looked up at the Order members. "How do we destroy it?"

"That, Mr. Weasley, is what we need to figure out," McGonagall said from her position in her chair. A firm cough was heard through the room and everyone turned their heads to look at Bill, who was now standing straight with his wand in his hand.

"I believe I might know a few spells," Bill said confidently.

"And how would you know these spells Weasley?" Moody growled.

"I happen to be a Curse-Breaker Mad-Eye. You learn a few things when you are surrounded by cursed tombs you know." Moody grunted and looked down, leaning on his walking stick.

Bill walked up to stand by Harry, nodding to Ron to put the Horcrux down on the desk. Bill cleared the desk with a wave of his wand and then he looked up at everyone. "You all might want to move back." Everyone (including a not-to-happy Mrs. Weasley) took multiple steps back and McGonagall nodded to Bill and got up from her chair, joining the group behind Harry, Bill, and Ron.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Harry asked, looking up at Bill, who was almost a foot taller than him, having the Weasley height and all.

"I have a few tricks up my sleeve. Being a Curse-Breaker has its benefits." Bill looked back at the horcrux on the desk and raised his arm with his wand in hand. "Oh and by the way, you both might want to step back," Bill said out of the corner of his mouth.

Harry and Ron both stepped back a few steps, both standing halfway between Bill and the group of Order members. They watched Bill take a deep breath and adjust his position. Then Bill powerful, deep voice cut through the air like a knife.

"_Malus Dilabor_!" A giant boom echoed throughout the room as a huge orange ball of fire shot out of Bill's wand and hit the locket with a giant clang of the spell hitting the metal. As soon as the orange ball of fire hit the metal, smoke erupted throughout the room, clouding everyone's vision.

Coughing was heard throughout the room as the smoke irritated everyone's throats. A shout was heard through the coughing and the smoke was pushed away from the group of people in the room. Once the smoke was completely gone, everyone saw McGonagall was standing with her wand out, brushing the shoulder of her robe while clearing her throat.

"Sorry," Bill said sheepishly, rubbing his neck, the Weasley blush spreading across his face. His hair was standing up in some places and his face and clothes were smudged with ash. His shirt was frayed in some places and his hair was singed at some ends. "I didn't know it would backfire," Bill said as pinched a small flame in his hair with his fingers, putting it out.

"Is everyone ok?" Lupin asked. Nods and murmurs of "Yes" and "Yeah" were heard throughout the room. Moody looked at Bill, his electric blue eye whizzing around in its socket.

"Is that all you've got Weasley because I, and I'm sure this applies to everyone else too, can't stay here all day."

"Relax Moody…I'm not done yet. Just be patient." Bill turned back to the locket, which had not been dented or even burned yet alone moved from its spot on the desk. Bill cleared his throat and steadied his wand for the second time today.

"_Inscribo Obscuros Deleo_!" This time, dark purple lava poured out of Bill's wand and exploded onto the locket. A loud hissing was heard and Harry watched as everything the purple lava touched on the desk burn. Everything besides the locket. Once Bill stopped the flow of lava, the desk was burnt through but the locket still shined with the power of the sun.

They all stared at the burnt desk with mouths gaping and eyes wide. Bill was breathing hard and hair hung in his face, his sweaty face making him look thoroughly exhausted.

"There's…one more…I can try," Bill spoke, leaning down to rest on his knees, the last spell taking a lost out of him. His voice was breathless and his breathing uneven. "I need you all…to brace yourselves thought." He straightened up and wiped sweat off of his forehead. He pointed his wand at the horcrux again.

"_ANIMA VIRUS DELEO_!"

A bright yellow light exploded from Bill's wand, making Harry shield his eyes from the burning light. Then everything seemed to slow down and everything seemed like it was in slow motion. The entire desk and everything around it exploded, the force of the explosion causing everyone to get pushed back and fall to the ground. Sharp splinters of wood and pieces of random objects that flew through the room, causing Harry to put his hands in front of his face.

Harry looked up through his fingers and saw Bill crawling backwards away from the pile of wood that was once the desk. Suddenly, a piercing scream cut through the air. Harry put his hands up to the sides of his head to cover his ears but the scream still found a way to creep through his hands. A powerful wind picked up through the room and the scream seemed to become even louder.

Harry looked up and his eyes widened as he saw the horcrux hanging in the air. The lockets metal was twisted and ripped, a black, almost mud-like, substance oozing out of it. The black substance rose in the air, churning and changing its shape as it rose and more of the black guck oozed out of the ripped metal.

Harry stumbled up and stood, his hair and clothes being blown sideways from the wind. He took his hands slowly off of his ears even though the scream was still piercingly loud. Harry squinted his eyes as he straightened up and looked at the twisted locket hanging in the air, surrounded by the black mud.

Harry felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned to see Ron looking at his, his hair also blowing sideways. In Harry's peripheral vision, he saw the group behind him trying to get up, some still covering their ears. Harry's eyes met Ron's and Ron nodded to Harry.

Harry turned back to the locket and stepped closer to it, Ron trailing behind. As soon as Harry took his first step towards the horcrux, the mud-like matter exploded, throwing Harry down onto the floor hard. He struggled to look up as the wind picked up. Suddenly, the scream downed down until it wasn't heard anymore and it was replaced by a cold, snake-like voice that sent a shiver down Harry's back.

"_Harry Potter_."

Harry looked up from his position on the ground and struggled to get up. He looked into the black mud that was churning in midair. The matter churned and gurgled and bubbled, covering much of the room. Harry finally got up and stepped closer to the horcrux. He leaned in, trying to walk through the wind, and suddenly, a pair of glowing red eyes opened within the matter. The matter churned and spread, forming a body. First the outline appeared and then it started to form arms, legs, a torso, and a face… a face with glowing red eyes.

Harry slowly backed up away from the figure of Lord Voldemort while everyone else watched from their positions on the ground.

"_Harry Potter. You cannot defeat me. Neither could your filthy parents. You can never defeat me. Not by yourself. Not even with that filthy mudblood beside you," _Voldemort spoke slowly and flawlessly, his voice a hiss.

"WHERE IS SHE? WHAT DID YOU DO?" Harry fell to his knees, tears running down his face as he looked up at the figure of Voldemort's red eyes.

"_You will die Harry Potter. You will never win. You cannot defeat me. You will die Harry Potter! All your friends, everyone you have ever loved, will die because of you. Because you cannot defeat me! And you will see your filthy mother and father again. You will see everyone who gave their lives for you. You will even see your filthy mudblood again."_

"NO! YOU'RE LYING! SHES NOT DEAD! YOU LYING!" Harry sobbed.

"_You will die and no one can save you. You're mudblood won't be there for you this time," _Voldemort said while grinning maliciously.

"NO!" Harry fell on his hands and screamed to the floor. Voldemort smile vanished and his red eyes grew wide as a ripple of bone-crushing energy flew towards the horcrux. His scream was drowned out by the ripping sound of metal and the clang of the broken and defeated locket as it landed on the floor.

Harry sobbed, still on his hands and knees, as Ron came up to him and put a hand on his shoulder while he stared at the horcrux nervously. Lupin was the first Order member to reach the horcrux. Lupin picked up the annihilated locket while Bill came up behind him, looking exhausted to no end.

"Now what the bloody hell was that?" Ron asked, looking bewildered, still kneeling next to Harry.

"Ronald, don't use that language," Mrs. Weasley scolded his. Her hair was disheveled and she looked frightened, due to the fact that she was still shaking even though she tried to put on a brave demeanor.

"Mum, I think at a time like this, that language is allowed," Fred said, trying to lighten the fear that surrounded everyone.

Lupin kneeled down to Harry and put a comforting, fatherly hand on his shoulder and helped him stand up. Harry sniffed and ran a hand through his windswept hair.

"Is it destroyed?" Harry asked. Lupin handed the mangled locket to him and Harry studied it in his hands. You couldn't even tell if it was a locket or not. It was like a small chunk of twisted metal. The only thing that was still intact was the chain. The silver chain wasn't broken yet alone dented or bent though it did have a few scrapes and scratches on it.

"I can say so," Lupin said. Harry looked up and saw everyone staring at his a little nervously.

"What?"

"Mate… you destroyed it," Ron said.

"Me? No I thought Bill did," Harry said confused.

"You released some kind of energy that destroyed it. Bill just opened it, I guess," Lupin said.

"Well, it doesn't really matter who destroyed it or not ok? It's destroyed and that's all that matters," Harry said, looking back down at the destroyed horcrux again.

"I agree with Potter. Now if you'll excuse me," Moody said. He limped over to the fireplace that was thankfully still intact and vanished in green flames. Kingsley looked at everyone and said his curt goodbye as well, saying he needed to get back to the ministry. Soon he also vanished into green flames.

McGonagall pushed her way gently through the crowd that still remained and walked up to Harry.

"Perhaps you go rest Mr. Potter. You to Mr. Weasley. It's been a long day and I think everyone deserves a good rest tonight. I'll keep the locket here so nobody finds out about it." Harry nodded and handed her the locket.

Harry nodded both in gratitude and goodbye to the group still remaining in the office and left with Ron to go back to their dorm. Once the door shut, Harry started to walk away quietly but Ron caught his shoulder and pulled him back. Ron turned Harry around to face him and blue eyes met green.

"Mate…what happened back there? Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine," Harry mumbled, looking away.

"Well I hate to admit it mate but you're not okay." He paused to take a deep breath and run a hand through his ginger locks then continued. "Look, I saw what happened back there. You were screaming and that…that _thing_ was talking to you."

"Did you hear what he said," Harry interrupted, the words escaping his mouth quickly. Ron sighed.

"Every word." Harry looked down at the ground but Ron put a hand on both of Harry's shoulders, causing Harry to look up again with lifeless eyes.

"He said Hermione was dead, Ron. God she can't be dead," Harry spoke hoarsely, his voice near a whisper and thick with emotion.

"It was just trying to get into your head. She not dead, you have to trust me on this. She's Hermione. She's strong, smart… well bloody brilliant more like it. She's survived many things; I think that whatever happened, she survived that too."

Harry sighed, too tired to fight back or even respond. He just nodded and Ron patted him on the shoulder.

"Come on, let's head back. You look dead. You could use some sleep."

"No arguing with you there," Harry said as he and Ron started walking. They walked in silence through the dimly lit corridors until Ron spoke.

"We're one step closer mate…you're one step closer."

And with that, Harry smiled.

* * *

><p>Its finally done! I am so sorry that it took this long. I have been super busy with the end of school but I graduate this Friday so I will hopefully get the chapters out much much faster. I am extremely sorry that this took so llong again but please forgive me. I hope you enjoy this chapter and <strong>Read<strong> **and** **Review** and I will get the next chapter out hopefully soon.

**Just a little note (all of these spells in Latin):**

**1. Malus Dilabor= Break Evil**

**2. Inscribo Obscuros Deleo= Destroy Dark Entity**

**3. Anima Virus Deleo= Destroy Living Soul**

Just so you all know, I know hardly anything about Latin. I used Google to help me so if I did something wrong with these spells, please feel free to correct me. I could always use a Latin lesson. Thanks again!


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does.

* * *

><p>"HARRY! WATCH OUT!"<p>

Harry looked up quickly only to have a bludger run into his face. Harry's hands flew off the broom handle and in a split second, Harry was on the ground. Harry opened his eyes and blinked a few times to refocus his vision. Immediately, his teammates were surrounding him.

Harry tried to move into a sitting position but only succeeded in making pain shoot through his head and side. With Ron's and Ginny's help though, they got him sitting up, only making Harry groan in pain as he moved.

"You okay mate? I think you might want to go to the Hospital Wing," Ron said, still supporting Harry, concern lacing his voice. Harry wiped a good amount of blood off of his face from his broken nose.

"No, I'b okay," Harry said, his crushed nose affecting his speech. He tried to push off of the ground but a shot of pain rushed through his side and he clutched his ribs while gritting his teeth. "You know wha', I dink I will go to da Hospidal wing."

Ron nodded and told the rest of the team to go get changed and head back to the castle for dinner. They all nodded and started to gather up the quaffles and "Acio" the snitch and bludgers while Ron helped Harry walked off of the Quidditch pitch.

Ron and Harry slowly made their way through Hogwart's darkening grounds and made their way through the giant oak doors. Ron looked over at Harry, his brow creased with concern.

"Harry? What's going on out there? That's like the millionth time that you zoned out on the pitch. You're not yourself out there."

"Id's nothing Ron."

"Stop lying to me Harry!" Ron exclaimed as they walked through a long corridor. "You haven't caught the snitch at all this year. During practice, you just float there on your broom. I mean this is the second time you've been to the Hospital wing from practice."

Ron took a breath before continuing. "Mate, we haven't won a game yet this year. Hufflepuff _and_ Slytherin both beat us!" They both stepped up the last step on a set of stairs and made their way through another corridor. "I'm just worried about you mate. I mean, you can't let Hermione's absence eat away at your own life."

Harry sighed and looked away. "Id's just hard."

"It's hard for me to mate. But I'm trying to deal with this. Voldemort won't take a vacation and wait for Hermione to get back, ya know."

"Yeah, I know." They stopped in front of the Hospital wing doors, which were open, and walked through. Ron helped Harry lie down on the first bed, the bed that Harry always used.

Ron looked down at him. "I just don't want you to give up hope. She'll come back," Ron said, even though deep down, he was starting to feel like he was lying to himself. "I'll go get Madam Pomphrey."

Harry nodded and watched Ron walked into Madam Pomphrey's office a few bed's down on the other side. A few seconds later, Madam Pomphrey came running out with her wand in her hand.

"I swear Mr. Potter; I might as well but your name on this bed," Madam Pomphrey joked while she put bottles of potions on the nightstand next to Harry's bed.

Harry watched as Madam Pomphrey waved her wand and with a small crack, Harry's nose rebuilt itself. Harry's eyes watered instinctively and his put a hand up to his nose. Before he knew it, Madam Pomphrey handed him a small glass with pink potion in it, a potion that he recognized very well.

Harry quickly took it and gulped it down in one, trying to ignore the bitter taste. Immediately, the pain in his side disappeared and soothing warmth spread throughout his ribcage. Once the potion was entirely gone, Harry put the glass back on the table beside him.

"Now if you feel any pain, come back. That potion should heal your ribs within the hours, though it might be a little sore for a while," Madam Pomphrey said as Harry sat up.

Harry nodded and thanked Madam Pomphrey as he rose to his feet. Harry reached the door before Madam Pomphrey spoke again. "And please Mr. Potter, be careful!"

Harry smiled and made his way out. Ron followed, nodding to Madam Pomphrey before he left. Harry started walking down the hall before Ron even made it out of the doors, making Ron have to run up to catch up with Harry. Once he caught up, they started to walk side by side down the corridor to the Grand Staircase.

"You want to go down to get some dinner mate?" Ron asked, already knowing the answer.

"No, I'm fine right now. I'm gonna go take a shower," Harry said.

"Okay mate. See ya later," Ron said as he started to walk down the staircase while Harry made no indication of moving from the top of the stairs.

"Oi! Ron, I know you're hungry but you might want to change first," Harry, who was on the top of the stairs, yelled down to Ron, who was already halfway down the staircase. Ron looked down and blushed crept on his face and neck.

"Thanks mate," Ron said nodding and looking away then continuing down the staircase at a slower pace. Harry shook his head and went down the set of stairs and then turned right in the direction of his dormitory.

He wished he could be like Ron. Ron hardly let anything bother him. He hardly ever worried. He had hope. He didn't get distracted. He didn't let his life get eaten away. He didn't let Hermione's absence control his life. He didn't think about Hermione every second of every day. No, all Ron though about was food. After all, he was always hungry.

* * *

><p>Hermione sputtered as she poured the awful potion down her throat. The burning in her throat made her eyes water and Hermione coughed, only succeeding in choking on the potion that was still in her throat. After a few minutes of coughing and gagging, the burning disappeared and Hermione was able to take a proper breath again.<p>

"No matter how many times I swallow that bloody potion, I will never get use to it," Hermione mumbled to herself, her breath visible in front of her face.

Hermione looked up into the partly cloudy sky and let the dark sky swallow her up. The cold air bit her skin but Hermione sighed in contentment, loving the frigid air against her warm skin. Then like every full moon, Hermione's skin started to tingle, barely noticeable at first but then hitting her full force with gut-wrenching pain.

She was soon withering on the ground as a scream ripped out of her throat. Her bones bent and grew and broke and cracked into a wolf's body structure and soon a silver wolf lay on the frozen ground, breathing heavily while the full moon looked down on her.

* * *

><p>(Before the full moon)<p>

Remus Lupin ran a hand through his graying hair, his heart beating wildly in his chest. The last of the sun's light stretched on the ground before him, hitting the trees surrounding him and casting a long shadow behind him.

He rubbed his hands over his face and watched as his breath dispersed before him. He let another giant breath out and let his arms fall to his sides swinging slightly while a cold rush of wind blew through the forest in which he was standing all alone.

He reached into his pocket and gazed at the small bottle that was now in his hands. Did he really want to do this? Should he just go back to the cell and stay there? If he was in the cell then he couldn't hurt anyone. But he was being foolish. He was going to take the potion; he would be in complete control. But it might be dangerous. Someone, possibly a Death Eater, could be out there.

He groaned as his mind battled back and forth about what to do. He was always so use to being locked up during the full moon. The last time he ran free during a full moon was at least 10 years ago. But he didn't feel like he could stay in the cell for any longer. He needed to run free; to forget about everything that was happening in his life right now and just focus on dodging the trees as he ran. He wanted to forget everything and just get lost in the smells of the forest.

But should he? He looked and saw that the last of the sun's light had disappeared, leaving the forest dark, even though it didn't matter to him. The sky was still a little light but he knew that he would have to make his decision fast. He looked back at the small, deserted cabin behind him, which was where the cell was. Every moon, he always went out here to alienate himself from anyone else, just in case something went wrong. But right now, he was tired of that.

Remus clenched his jaw and unstopped the bottle gripped for dear life in his hands. With one fluent movement, his brought the bottle to his lips and swallowed it whole. He gagged as soon as the potion was fully down his throat.

"No matter how many times I have drunken that bloody potion, I will never get use to it," Remus coughed as the burning started to subside in his throat.

He sighed as he sat down on a rock as he waited. He just hoped that he made the right choice.

* * *

><p>A large brown haired wolf raised his head, his tongue hanging out of his mouth and his nose in the air. His brown hair was shaggy and his coat was sprinkled with grey hairs, especially on its muzzle. His claws sank into the ground, loving the feeling of the cold ground under his paws.<p>

Remus stretched his legs out and reveled in the glorious feeling of the cold air running through his shaggy coat. He couldn't remember the last time he enjoyed being outside this much. After years of being locked up in a small cell out in the middle of the forest, this felt like heaven to him.

In a split second, he pushed off the ground and ran. He ran as hard and as fast as he could possibly go. His tongue flew beside him, hanging out of his mouth full of sparkly white fangs. He dodged trees and branches and flew through the night, his eyes twinkling with happiness.

His muscles rippled underneath his coat as he ran. His quick breathe was visible in front of his face and for once; he forgot everything that was invading his mind. For once, he was able to stop worrying. But even he knew that it would only last for a few hours.

* * *

><p>Hermione sat down with a huff, her breath puffing out in a small cloud. Her bushy tail curled around her paws and her ears were back against her skull. Her head was facing the ground and her fur was ruffled in the wind. Naked trees that were surrounding her blocked most of the wind but some still found their way to her.<p>

She lifted her head and her ears perked up, her nose twitching as scents found their way in. Her eyes connected with the moon and the lights made her fur light up, making it look as if she was glowing.

Her head lowered slowly and a whine escaped her throat. In less than a blink of an eye, her head shot up and a powerful howl ripped through the still night air like a sharp dagger. Her ears pressed against her skull and one of her paws raised slightly in the air. The bare trees swayed as the wind picked up as if it was howling along with her.

* * *

><p>Remus slowed and came to a slow trot, stopping in the middle of dozens of trees. Dead leaves coated the ground on which the brown wolf stood and the bare trees swayed as the winds started up again.<p>

Remus looked around, still panting heavily. His nose twitched as he took in the glorious scents of nature. He smelled the ground, taking in the smell of the frozen dirt. He smelled the air, taking in the scent of the cold air. Even though it was only mid-November, the temperature was dropping and Remus was glad that werewolves had many coats of fur.

He stood there, now breathing a bit easier, even though his chest was still going up and down rapidly. He flopped down on his side and rolled over, enjoying the sound the dead leaves made as his weight pushed them down against the earth. He rolled over on his side with his legs stretched out in front of him.

In a few minutes of solitude, his eyes slowly started to droop as the calming sound of the wind rustled to leaves and made the branches sway on the trees. The night air was peaceful and still; not a sound could be heard by anyone.

Remus looked up into the black curtains of darkness above them and gazed at the small twinkles of light imbedded within the black background. He yawned, his tongue curling up as his jaws opened.

All of a sudden, a piercing howl ripped a hole through the peacefulness and quietness surrounding him and he jumped to his feet, his ears perked up as he listened to the screaming howl.

His heart beat in his chest and he rotated around repeatedly, his head turning in all directions. A plethora of questions swarmed his overactive mind and he whimpered. By now the howl had died down even though it still rang in his ears.

He couldn't let anyone find him. If there was another werewolf out there, he didn't want to run into it, especially if it was one working with Voldemort. Or maybe he should go and try to go find the other werewolf and if it was one of the werewolves working for Voldemort, then he could capture him.

He shook his head, he was being foolish. It was probably just a regular wolf; it probably wasn't a werewolf at all. Another howl broke though his train of thought, a powerful scream that cut though Remus' ears like a knife.

Maybe he should go look for it. If it was this close then it probably smelled him and was trying to find him. He had been so distracted himself that maybe he had missed the other wolf's scent. The howl lowered slowly until Remus couldn't hear it anymore and he did the first thing that came to his mind.

He howled back.

* * *

><p>Hermione lowered her head as her second howl still rang through her ears. She lay down with a huff and looked at the leaves on the dirt floor from her position on the ground. She rolled onto her back and looked up into the night sky.<p>

The night sky was clear of any clouds and billions of stars twinkled from light years above her. The moon glowed down at her; a big orb lighting up the forest beneath it. Hermione rolled onto her side then her paws.

Immediately after she was on her feet, a chilling howl shot through the air and into her ears, causing her to jump and yelp in surprise at the same time. She twisted around; her ears back as she crouched lower with every turn.

The howl pierced the night sending shivers down Hermione's spine. The wind blew around her, making the howl echo and seem to last forever. The howl slowly descended until Hermione could only hear it ring in her ears.

If the Death Eaters had heard her and were trying to find her again, she was in big trouble. She perked her ears but couldn't hear anything besides her labored panting. She hadn't smelled another werewolf or human but was it possible that she had missed it? She hoped not.

Hermione whimpered; she had to admit, she was terrified right now. She didn't want to get in a fight again. If Voldemort was using Greyback again, then there would be more than one werewolf with him. If they were that close, then she had to get away and fast.

Without a second thought, Hermione pushed off the hard ground and turned around at the same time, speeding into the forest that as once behind her. She wove through the trees, jumping expertly over branches and trees that had fallen and that were now on the ground.

Another ghostly howl shook the air around her. The howl seemed to be moving with her, like the other werewolf was moving as well. The howl pressed against her ears and she ran faster. She ran in a desperate frenzy, kicking off fallen trees and propelling through the air. She was giving her all as she ran. She just hoped it was enough.

* * *

><p>Remus lowered his head as his howl dispersed in the wind. He ran as fast as he could. He had to know who was up there. It probably wasn't the smartest thing but he needed to know. The wind pushed his fur back as he ran through the dimly lit forest. He dodged tree after tree and jumped over every fallen tree and branch he saw.<p>

He had to catch up; he had to find out who it was. He at least had to get close enough to smell the other werewolf. Remus pounded off the ground only to propel forward again. He kept running. He needed to. His breath now came in shallow pants but he didn't stop. He couldn't.

* * *

><p>Hermione slide to a sudden stop, her paws kicking up dirt and making an indent in the ground. Her breath puffed in front of her face every second and her chest was rapidly heaving. Her head fell down and she huffed, almost like she was laughing.<p>

She looked up again and tried to control her breathing. She looked around, still panting uncontrollable, and looked at the trees surrounding her. She knew she was farther away from the cabin now but she didn't want to lead the werewolf to her hiding place. She just hoped she was far enough away from that other werewolf.

She let her hind legs collapse then her front legs. The cool ground felt good on her underbelly as she lay there. When her breathing slowed down, she rested her head on her paws. She would need to get back to the cabin soon. She would have to wait until the moon was over though.

Hermione whined when she realized that she didn't have her wand even remotely close to her. She didn't want to walk back after the moon venerable when there could be Death Eaters around. She didn't want to go back either when the werewolf was possible still back there. She could possible go around the spot where the howl came from but she didn't want to take a chance.

Hermione didn't want to stay here either. The werewolf could be near her; it could have been closer then she though. She needed to keep moving; she would find a way back to the cabin later. The wind picked up, blowing in her face, forcing her to blink.

Once the wind subsided, she lifted her head and sniffed the air and her blood ran cold as she smelled something unfamiliar. A male werewolf, one she didn't recognize. He was close, extremely close.

She swallowed nervously and as quietly as she could, she pushed her tired body off of the ground but as soon as she was on her feet, a massive mass tackled her to the cold, hard, unforgiving ground.

* * *

><p>Remus slowed down and came to a stop. He smelled her; the wind was blowing in his face and her scent was carried directly into his nose. He guessed that the other werewolf didn't smell him because of the direction of the wind.<p>

He sniffed again. The scent was unfamiliar to him. The werewolf was definitely a female and he could smell the fear and adrenaline on her. She was extremely close, so close that he could jump out and touch her if he wanted to. Noiselessly, he leaned forward to look around the tree in front of him.

He watched as a silver werewolf lay on the ground, looking around worriedly. He watched as she lay her head down on her paws. He never saw a werewolf like that; never in his life. Her fur seemed to glow in the moonlight and the wind ruffled her silver fur.

From the way she looked, she was a bit smaller than the male werewolf but looked very strong and powerful. His ears pricked back as her whine floated in the wind and reached his ears. His head cocked as he looked at her. Who was she? She didn't look like she would be working with Voldemort but then again, looked could be deceiving.

He slowly moved forward and put a paw down. Then another. Then another. He slowly stepped forward but his eyes never left the figure of the other wolf. He was halfway out from behind the tree when she head lifted.

His blood frozen within his veins as he watched her sniff the air. He watched as her muscled tensed as her sniffed. She smelled him, she knew he was here. Remus watched as she got up slowly. He couldn't let her get away. With one powerful push off the ground, Remus lunged at the other wolf.

His body made contact with the other wolf's body and they both fell to the ground, Remus on top of the silver wolf. Immediately, the other wolf started to wiggle and squirm underneath him. Remus sank his claws into the other wolf trying to control her but she just snarled at his and lunged at his neck in a defensive way.

Remus dodged her fangs and lifted his paw, swiping at her muzzle hard with his daggers. If she was going to fight, then he would fight back. The silver werewolf's head was knocked hard to the side as his paw made contact and she yelped in pain as his claws sank into her muzzle, bringing up blood.

The silver werewolf kicked at Remus' stomach, sending him flying through the air and onto the ground a few feet away. The werewolf jumped on top of him and sank her claws into his shoulders. Her eyes met his as she snarled above him, as if she were trying to identify him. Remus looked into the brown eyes of the wolf on top of him.

_They look so familiar_, he though.

* * *

><p>Hermione lunged at the shaggy, brown wolf, falling on top of him. He was slightly bigger then her and had chocolate brown hair. Her muzzle stung from the deep wound from his claws as she leaned down to look at him. She snarled in a defensive manner, trying to scare the brown wolf.<p>

She looked into his eyes as he looked into hers. For a split second, she lost focus as she looked into familiar eyes. _I've seen those eyes before. I know those eyes,_ Hermione though. She was kicked, literally, out of her thoughts as the brown wolf pounded his hind legs against her stomach, making her fly back and hit a tree.

She slide down onto the ground and quickly pushed off of the ground. She looked up to see the brown wolf already in an attacking position. He was definitely strong and fast. Hermione lowered her head and position her legs on the ground so she could lunge forward at any second, her eyes never leaving the other werewolf.

In a split second, both wolves lunged at the same time and hit each other in mid-air. The brown wolf, being larger, landed on top of Hermione. Both wolves wrestled with each other, both trying to get away. The brown wolf lunged his head at Hermione's neck but Hermione dodged the blow and the brown wolf's nose ended up in the dirt.

Hermione took her chance and flipped the wolf over so that she was now on top. While the wolf was momentarily distracted, Hermione bit into his neck and shoulder hard, making him yelp and cry. As she let go, Hermione ripped a chunk of brown fur off of the wolf and puffed it away.

Blood was slowly starting to seep through the deep bite mark on his neck and soak his fur. He got up and made a weak lunge for Hermione, but she dodged it and jumped onto his back, raking her claws down his back. He twisted as Hermione was still on his back and his teeth found her leg, his jaw easily snapping her bone in two.

Hermione cried and fell off of the wolf's back, scrambling to regain her footing as the brown wolf raked both paws down her hindquarters and down her hind legs. Hermione howled in pain and whirled around, her paw connecting with his face hard. He fell to the ground and lay there while Hermione looked down at him.

She stared at him for a second longer before she turned around and ran as fast as she could on three legs.


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does.

* * *

><p>Remus groggily opened his eyes, his vision blurry. He blinked a few times, trying to get his clear vision back. Once he got his vision back, he saw that he was staring up into the light morning sky. The sun was just peeking out of the horizon and the light snuck through the cracks in the trees, lighting up the once dark forest.<p>

He rolled over and groaned in pain as he attempted to get up. His fingers were tangles in the wet grass of early morning and his muscles strain as he tried to lift himself off of the ground. A light early breeze of cool air blew around him and his eyes widened as he just realized that he was naked.

He was always used to waking up in his cell with fresh clothes outside the door but here he was in a bloody forest with no idea where he was and with no clothes or a wand!

"Bloody hell," Remus mumbled to himself. Thank God he was in the forest surrounded by trees. Even though he knew it was almost impossible that anyone would be around at this hour in this forest, Remus still felt a blush creep up onto his face and neck.

He looked around and out of instinct, he went to go cover himself up. He froze when he felt something crusty and dry on his stomach. He looked down and almost screamed when he saw dried streams of blood on his stomach. His hands felt up his bare chest and neck and he felt even more dried blood.

He looked down and saw streams of blood on his legs. He felt his back and more dried blood presented itself. Remus looked down on the spot in which he had woke up and crouched down. Dried blood was also on the leaves that he had laid on. Was it all of his blood or was some of it not from his veins? That he didn't know and probably would never know.

Despite the possibility of the blood not being all his, Remus reached now and touched the dried blood on the pile of the leaves in which he had woken up on. Almost as an electrical shock shot through his body, Remus fell backwards onto the forest floor. Howls from last night rang through his mind and he cringed as he remembered the silver wolf rank her claws down him back.

He rubbed his neck as he remembered the wolf biting down on it. His eyes were wide and his mouth was hanging open as he remained on the ground. Who was that? And where did she go? What happened after she hit him in the face? Did he get knocked out?

She was obviously extremely powerful and skilled at fighting based on all of the dried blood covering his body and the ground. He leaned on his one elbow and rubbed his face with his other hand.

He sighed as he sat up. He looked around as he put his other hand down on the ground. His eyebrows scrunched together as he put his hand over something soft. He looked down and removed his hand. He swallowed a large lump in his throat as he picked up a small bunch of silver fur.

He needed to go; he needed to find out who the wolf was. Maybe the wolf was registered in the Ministry, though he highly doubted it. Only about half of the werewolf population actually registered and if that silver werewolf was this far out from the Ministry, she was probably trying to keep herself a secret.

He slowly stood up, still holding the fur, not paying attention to the ache in his muscles as he stood. The images of last night still raced through his mind. He finally tore his eyes away from the small clump of fur in his hand and clenched his hand into a fist, dropping his hand down to his side.

He blinked as he remembered those eyes; those chocolate brown eyes, so full of fear and anger. But there was something beneath that; a spark in those eyes. An intelligent spark that he had seen before. He knew those eyes, that was true but he could name them. Remus looked down at the fur clenched in his fist.

Those eyes.

Those familiar eyes.

* * *

><p>"Aguamenti."<p>

A small jet of ice cold water poured out off the tip of her wooden wand. Hermione sucked in a breath as the ice cold water touched her arm. Hermione took the worn shirt that was next to her on the broken bed and scrubbed the skin on her arm, using the shirt as a makeshift towel.

The shirt soaked up the water and rubbed against her skin, scrapping off the dried blood that was residing on her skin. Once her skin was red with irritation and she was satisfied that the blood was entirely off, she stood up.

The cold draft blew against her bare skin, all of her skin equally red with irritation from constant rubbing. She knew that all of the blood that was on her was not all hers. She remembered everything perfectly, as if it was happening again in front of her.

She could remember the smell, the smell of dirt and leaves on his brown fur. She knew that werewolf. She'd seen it before, she knew that much. Hermione through on random clothes from her bed and started to pace, running a hand through her wild, tangled hair. Maybe the Order was looking for her. Maybe that's way Lupin jumped on her in the first place, to see who it was.

But how would they know it was her if they didn't know that she was a werewolf. She bet they knew that she was attacked in the early summer, they had to by now. But they couldn't know that she was a werewolf, it was almost impossible. They just probably sent Lupin out to look in the woods. He probably just saw her and though it was one of Voldemort's Death Eaters and wanted to sneak up on them. But why would they start looking for her now? And she highly doubted that Lupin would just randomly jump on a Death Eater without some kind of Order backup.

Hermione dug both of her hands through her matted hair and dug her nails into her scalp. God, what had she done! She attacked him for no reason but fear and self-defense. He didn't know who she was but she knew who he was. She could have seriously hurt him. She didn't even check to see whether he was alive before she ran away.

Hermione clenched her teeth and gave a frustrated groan. She was such an idiot! This is what she wanted to prevent. And now she was in danger of being found out…or of being a killer again. If Lupin was dead, then the Order would find out and would be able to find her. If he was alive, he would most likely tell the Order.

She needed to leave but where would she go? She was close to the edge of Scotland; she didn't have any where else to go unless she wanted to swim to Ireland or something. But that was ridiculous! This whole thing was ridiculous!

A few rogue tears streaked down her face and she closed her eyes. All she wanted was for this nonsense to end. She ran away from her friends… her family… her life. She just wanted to go back in time and prevent all of this from happening.

But she knew she couldn't do that. This was her fate and she would have to deal with it, no matter how shitty it was. She would get through this… she could get through this. She needed to.

Hermione sighed and let the tears drip off of her face without her making any recollection to them. She would have to stay here, face whatever came. She had no other choice.

* * *

><p>(About a month later, now mid-December)<p>

Harry threw a crumpled shirt into his already packed trunk, not even bothering to fold it. His trunk looked like a tornado had hit it and he hadn't bothered to fix it. Clothes were randomly tossed inside, dirty or clean. Books were thrown in there as well as ink bottles hopefully capped. Pieces of parchment were laid on top of the pile and shoes were buried underneath the clothing. Quills and as well other random thing were also buried somewhere inside the trunk

Harry sat heavily on the small space on his bed that was not taken up by the monstrous trunk and put his head in his hands, rubbing his temples in soothing circles. With every piece of clothing thrown inside the trunk and every book that landed inside, his heart became heavier.

He knew it would be hard, but he didn't know it would be this hard. This would be the first Christmas without her. A few tear escaped his eyes as the thought came to his mind. He quickly wiped them away. He had cried enough; he had to be strong.

He rubbed his face and buried his hand in his hair, taking calming breaths. After a few deep breaths, he looked around his space and looked for anything he had forgotten.

His eyes looked away from his bed and went to the door that was slowly opening. Harry watched as Ron slowly walked in and shut the door behind him. Harry watched as Ron walked to his bed, where his trunk was already packed and closed, and sat down on his bed.

Ron looked at Harry and gave a weak smile. Harry tried to give one back but only managed to nod and look away. Ron sighed and got up, walking over to Harry's bed. He shoved the trunk so that half of it was hanging off of the bed and he sat down next to Harry.

"Mate… Are you almost done?" Ron asked his voice quiet.

"Ahh… Yeah, yeah," Harry answered, almost whispering. Harry cleared his throat and took great interest in the window above his bed. Ron nodded and rubbed his hands on his knees. They sat in silence for a few awkward minutes before the silence was shattered by Ron.

"Look mate… I know how you feel." He paused to take a deep breath. "I mean, this will be the first Christmas without her. Well… there was first year but we knew where she was and everything. And she sent us gifts and we sent her some too so it was like we celebrated with those. And we had just met her then so we weren't like best friends. And I'm just rambling, aren't I?"

Harry gave a weak chuckle and sighed. He turned to Ron and looked at his blushing friend. Ron looked back and gave a small smile. Ron patted Harry on the shoulder and stood up, turning to Harry so he was standing in front of him.

"I just wanted to tell you that it was dinner time. I figure you don't want to eat but I just thought that I would let you know. And it's the last dinner in the Great Hall for a while," Ron mumbled.

Harry nodded to Ron and looked down at the ground, not moving from his seat on the bed. Ron just sighed and nodded more to himself than to Harry, who wasn't looking. Ron walked away slowly, half expecting Harry to say something for some odd reason. Once he got to the door, Ron turned around to look at the figure of Harry.

He sighed. He felt for him. It must be tough for him. He had to admit to himself, it was probably harder for him. Not that he didn't love and miss Hermione, he just knew that Harry loved her on another level and that his heart must be breaking into millions of pieces with every passing day. Ron sighed again and his stomach caught his attention as it gave a low growl. _Bloody stomach,_ Ron thought. It truly never left him alone.

Harry sat there until he heard the door click, signaling Ron's exit. Once he was sure no one was in the room anymore, he put his full trunk on the ground and lay on the now clear bed. Harry closed his eyes and covered his closed eyes with his arm.

He was tired, completely exhausted even. He didn't care if it was only 7 o'clock; he just wanted to go to sleep. And he would probably wake up halfway through the night and just lie there. He blindly groped for his wand on the table besides him and with one flick, the draped around his bed were closed and the lights were off. Harry didn't even bother to put the covers on him before he drifted off.

Outside, though, the wind began to pick up and the window above his bed began to fog up. Small flakes of white snow fell from the gray sky, falling slightly sideways due to the wind. Outside, the snow fell and landed on the ground, creating a peaceful scene while one of the castle's occupants was twisting and turning in his light slumber.


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does.

* * *

><p>Naked snow covered trees blurred together as Harry watched the scenery change with every second. Snowflakes fell and hit against the fog covered window as the Hogwarts Express sped across the tracks. The peaceful scenes of hills under blankets of snow raced past Harry's eyes as he blankly stared out the window.<p>

Harry leaned his head against the foggy window, the cold, smooth surface sending shivers down his spine as soon as the glass touched his skin. He silently watched as each flake of snow hit the window with a barely audible _thud_. He slowly closed his eyes and listened to the sounds of the train speeding across the track.

Harry wondered how cold it was outside. The window itself sent shivers down his back. He could just imagine how cold it was outside. His mind wondered to Hermione. Was she outside? Was she cold? Was she safe? Was she even still alive?

His stomach lurched and bile rose in his throat at the thought of Hermione not being alive. He swallowed hard and he tried to focus on the changing scenery. He took a deep breath and let it out, his breath creating even more fog on the window.

"Hey mate?" Harry was roused out of his deep thoughts and turned his head in the direction of his red-haired friend, his head not leaving the window.

"Yeah?"

"We'll be at King's Cross soon. I just wanted to say that we should probably get our stuff down," Ron said somberly.

"Yeah…yeah. Good idea," Harry said, sitting up straight on his seat. Together, they silently stood up and got their trunks down. They sat down again with their trunks down by their feet. After about 10 minutes, the train slowly came to a stop and they both got up, grabbing their trunks and owl's cages, which were on the seats next to them, and walked out of their compartment.

The corridors in the train were as crowded as always. Student with wide smiles were laughing and talking animatedly to each other, their eyes shining with excitement as they stepped off of the train. Harry actually felt the need to glare at the happy students surrounding him but he was jolted out of his anger by Ron tugging on his sleeve.

"Harry, snap out of it. We've got to meet my dad." Harry simply nodded and followed Ron, weaving through the thick crowd of families and Order member as well as Aurors standing guard.

Harry lowered his gaze to his feet as he walked, feeling the stares of random people on his back. He felt Ron stop him and tug on his sleeve for the second time that day. Harry looked up and saw Ron pointing to a small group, a few members having the infamous Weasley hair.

He followed Ron through the now thinning crowd and reached the group. Ginny was already there talking to Fred and George, who were leaning against the wall with their arms crossed. Mr. Weasley was standing talking to Lupin, their faces serious. Tonks stood there looking at everyone who passed suspiciously.

Once Ron and Harry reached the group, they all stopped their conversations and turned their attentions to the two of them. Mr. Weasley gave his son a hug while Tonks gave Harry one. Lupin as well as Mr. Weasley gave Harry's shoulder a fatherly pat while the Weasley twins gave him a friendly clap on the shoulder.

"So how are we getting home?" Ginny asked after all of the greeting were finished.

"We're going to travel by portkey," Lupin said, "It's the safest way." They all watched as he withdrew an old, torn doll from his jacket. "Okay, everyone in here," Lupin said, opening a door behind them, leading into an empty room.

Once the door was fully closed, Lupin ushered them into a circle. He held out the doll and everyone instinctively grabbed hold of a part of the doll.

"Fred, George, get Ron and Harry's owls," Mr. Weasley said quickly, knowing that it would be hard for them to hold the portkey with no hands available. Fred and George quickly did what they were told and took the cages from the two while Lupin watched and waited patiently until they finished.

"Okay, on three," Lupin said as he tapped the tip of his wand against the torn doll, causing the doll to glow a bright blue for a split second, signifying that it was activated.

"One…Two…Three!"

As soon as they last word left Lupin's mouth, Harry felt a tug on his navel and his world became a spinning blur.

* * *

><p>As soon as Harry's feet touched the ground below him, he fell ungracefully to the ground, falling face down. His hand left his trunk as he brace himself for the fall. Just as was about to hit the hard, snowy surface, a pair of arms grabbed his shoulders and lifted him up onto his feet.<p>

Harry turned and looked sheepishly at Mr. Weasley, who only smiled and patted him on the back. Harry turned around and looked at Ron, who was blushing while Tonks laughed next to him, making Harry guess that Ron almost met the ground in the same fashion as himself.

Harry reached down to get his trunk and once he straightened up again, he found the group migrating to the crooked yet inviting house. Harry jogged, his trunk bumping his knee, until he caught up with the small group, which didn't take very long sense they weren't that far ahead.

Together, they all walked quietly to the Burrow's front door. Stepping in one by one, they all piled into the cozy house. The scent of food immediately wafted into their nostrils and the sound of footsteps were heard in the kitchen.

"Molly! We're back!" Mr. Weasley announced loudly. Instantly, the sound of footsteps was heard and Mrs. Weasley almost ran out of the kitchen. She immediately engulfed Ginny (being the first one in front of the group) and gave her daughter her famous bone-crushing hug.

She hugged Ron next, patting him clumsily on the cheek after she released him. Mrs. Weasley moved to the right of Ron and stood in front of Harry, smiling gently at him before pulling him into a tight hug which he awkwardly returned with one arm, considering his other arm was holding his trunk.

"You all must be tired and hungry after that long ride," Mrs. Weasley said, looking at Ron, Harry, and Ginny each in turn. "Why don't you all go upstairs and unpack. I'll call you all down when lunch is ready."

The three of them nodded and Mrs. Weasley patted Harry's cheek before she turned away and disappeared back into the kitchen. Fred and George wordlessly handed Harry and Ron their owl's back, the owls attempting to spread their wings in their small cages, both of them obviously annoyed with the travel method.

With Ron in the lead, they all walked silently up the stairs, the only sounds being the creaks the stairs made as their weight pushed down on the old wooden boards. Once they got to the right floor, Ginny separated from the small group and entered her room with a small _click_ as her door closed.

Harry followed Ron into his room and wordlessly placed his trunk onto his bed on the left side of the small room while Ron placed his trunk on the ground and sat on the bed, staring at the ground.

Harry opened his trunk and looked at the mess inside. He somewhat wished that he had taken some time to neatly fold everything but it was too late now. He rummaged through and found some books, silently taking them out and placing them in a pile on his bed. He kept rummaging through his clothes, finding yet more books to add to the pile.

"Everything feels wrong," Ron said suddenly in a monotone voice. Harry turned around to face him, a book clutched in his hands.

"Yeah, I know. It all feels wrong."

"I know what you mean. I all just feels so wrong without H-Hermione," Ron said, tripping over the last part. "It feels like we shouldn't be celebrating without her," Ron continued. "It feels like a part of the family is missing."

"Yeah…yeah," Harry said, rubbing a hand over his mouth and looking away from Ron and focusing on looking outside the window. Harry broke his gaze and looked at his feet.

"I just want her to come back." Harry paused and swallowed hard. "I just want her to still be alive." Just as Harry finished his sentence, Mrs. Weasley's voice rang through the house, announcing that lunch was ready.

Harry sighed and threw the book on the bed. Ron got up from the bed and gave Harry a pat on his shoulder. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked at him.

"We better get down there. I know you're not hungry but try to eat something. Just to make things as normal as possible." Harry nodded and Ron gave him a sad smile. They walked out together and the scent of food hung in the air.

_Well_, Harry thought,_ at least Mrs. Weasley can find a distraction._

* * *

><p>(Christmas Eve)<p>

Harry stared at the chess board, not really looking at anything, while Ron was staring intently at the board, trying to decide which black piece to move. Mr. Weasley was sitting in front of the fire, his arm wrapped around Mrs. Weasley, who had just come from cleaning up the dinner in the kitchen. Both were drinking close-to-scalding hot chocolate and focusing their attention on the flames licking the burning wood in the fireplace.

Fred and George were throwing ornaments at Ginny from the tree in the corner of the room, most of them being caught thanks to her quick reflexes but some hit their target (it didn't really matter anyway, she would just throw them back). Their hollow, half-hearted laughs and the crackling fire were the only sounds in the room. Occasionally, Mrs. Weasley would turn and give them a stern look but after a while, she just sighed and didn't bother with it anymore. They wouldn't listen anyway. She was just glad that they found a distraction, whatever it might be.

They all sat like that for at least another hour, Ron and Harry starting a new game halfway through the hour. All of a sudden, Ginny got up and stretched, batting away another ornament thrown by Fred, and announced that she would be going to bed.

After Ginny disappeared up the stairs (after many choruses of "Happy Christmas Eve"), Mr. and Mrs. Weasley got up after many more choruses of "Happy Christmas Eve", they too disappeared up the staircase.

"Well Fred, we've better be getting to bed," George said a few minutes later, getting up from his chair.

"Yeah. Night little tikes," Fred said, getting up and ruffling both Ron and Harry's hair. The two ruffled haired teens both said goodnight and then turned back to their game of chess, in which Harry was painfully losing. As the twins left, Harry could have swear he heard one of them say, "To bad Ginny doesn't like Harry anymore. We need to test out the new mistletoe at some point."

He blushed uncomfortably and glanced up at Ron, who was staring once again at the board intently, apparently not have heard the twins comment for which Harry was thankful. After another game had past and Harry had lost one more time, Ron yawned and rubbed his eyes with his knuckles.

"Hey mate, I think I'm gonna go to bed. You coming?" Ron asked; already up from his seat and making his way to the stairs. Harry shook his head.

"I'll be up soon. I'm just gonna get a drink and clear up the chess pieces." Ron nodded and started his ascent up the stairs. Once he disappeared, Harry sighed and got up, gathering the chess pieces and putting them back into the box with one sweep of the arm.

Harry sighed and put the box on the table, falling back into the couch. He stared at the now almost dead fire, the embers still creating a low glow that lit up his face. Harry stared blankly into the dying embers of the fire, slumping on the sofa.

Slowly, he reached into his pant pocket, his fingertips barely touching the cold metal chain. He grabbed the thin chain and pulled it out carefully. The thin, silver chain was wrapped around his fingers, the pendant hanging from the chain and gently touching his palm.

Harry lightly touched the pendant with his other hand, the jewels glinting in the light in the room. He traced the outline of the pendant, the metal cold. The deep blue eyes made of jewels seemed to gaze back at him as he stared at the small otter that was connected to the chain.

The otter was shiny and silver in color, about 2 inches in length and an inch in width. The body seemed to be lying down, almost like it was floating on its back. Its neck was curved up, like it was looking at its belly. Its eyes were jewels a deep blue color and silver jewel were on its body.

Harry smiled as he ran his finger over the silver jewels on the body. The memory of a silver blue otter swimming through the air in the Room of Requirement flashed in his mind. Tears pricked in his eyes as his ears rang with her laugher of the past. He saw her smiling face in his mind as he remembered her looking up at the otter floating and gliding around her. Harry let a tiny smile grace his lips.

He had bought it at one of the Hogsmeade trips of his sixth year, just after Christmas with intention of giving it to her next Christmas. It was an offer to good to not take up. Harry slowly, almost with hesitation, flipped the small otter over and looked with a pained stare at the small inscription engraved in the silver metal: _With Love-HP_

Harry closed his eyes and let the tears slide down his face, curving down his cheek and dripping off his jaw and onto his pants where it disappeared, only leaving a small, damp spot, the only sign that it had fallen from his glassy eyes. He clenched the small, silver otter in his hand, the thin, yet sturdy, chain hanging out of his closed fist. He clenched his jaw as more tears poured down his cheeks.

A choked sob escaped his clenched mouth and he leaned over, his face almost touching his knees. He sat up slightly, still hunched over with quiet almost inaudible sobs racking his body. One hand cradled his head as he leaned down again, rocking his body as he sat in front of the fireplace. His fist still clenched the small otter pendant. He never noticed the thin trail of blood dripping from his hand and onto the floor.

All he knew was that the sobs made it difficult for him to breathe.

All he knew was the sadness that made his heart feel like lead.

All he knew was the loneliness that had taken the place of a certain Hermione Granger.

* * *

><p>Harry sat at the kitchen table, the whole Weasley clan gathered as well with plates and glasses ready to be used. Mrs. Weasley was just putting the last plate of food on the table, a plate of pancakes; a mountain of them that would never get eaten fully. The twins, as well as Ron, Ginny, and himself (just so Mrs. Weasley wouldn't get upset), were wearing the traditional sweater they got from their pile of presents that were on their bed once they awoke. All of them were red with a Gryffindor lion on the front. Above the lion on each sweater, their names were knitted in white.<p>

Also with the sweater, Harry got a box of fudge from Mrs. Weasley, which he didn't really plan on eating. He also got random pranks and sweets from the twins, broom polish from Ron, a stand with a snitch from Ginny, a Herbology plant ( some kind of cactus) sent by Neville, and some kind of creature's claws from Luna with a short messages saying that "they had healing powers in potions." But no books.

Harry was snapped out of his daze by the sound of clanking silverware on plates. He looked up and saw that everyone had already taken some food, enough to keep Mrs. Weasley happy. He quickly took some Pancakes and some bacon along with pumpkin juice. He felt Mrs. Weasley's concerned eyes on his and he quickly took a bite of his food, sighing internally when he felt her eyes lift off of him.

They ate in silence, which was only broken for a few minutes while Mrs. Weasley asked everyone what they got as gifts. Then the silence was back like a heavy, black fog over everyone's heads.

The fog was once again dispersed when the door was knocked upon with a hurried rhythm. Mr. Weasley quickly went to answer it, his face blank of any emotions. He opened the door to reveal a wrapped up Tonks standing with a less wrapped Lupin, both with snow on the shoes and some flakes in their hair.

"Hello Tonks, Remus," Mr. Weasley greeted warmly.

"Wotcher Arthur, may we come in?" Tonks said, shivering slightly while Remus showed no indications of being affected by the bitter cold. Mr. Weasley stepped out of the way and the two Order members stepped inside.

"Everyone having a happy Christmas," Tonks asked, fake happiness lacing her voice.

"Hi Tonks dear, Happy Christmas," Molly said, giving her a quick hug once everyone at the table said their greetings. "What bring you two here today?" With that, Lupin stepped forward away from Mr. Weasley, who he had previously been speaking to.

"I hate to ruin the holiday but we're not here for fun and games. We're here from Order business," Lupin said, getting to the rub of the matter without hesitation. Just like that, Mrs. Weasley faced the group now standing in front of the kitchen table.

"Okay. Ginny, Ron, and Harry, out! Fred and George, make sure they go upstairs and make sure they don't come back in."

Remus just shook his head. "They're staying here. Well, at least Ron and Harry are. This involves them."

"Yeah! And me and Fred are part of the Order," George said, cutting into the conversation.

"Alright. You four can stay. But Ginny, out," Mrs. Weasley said sternly.

"Hey!" Ginny started, the Weasley temper shining,"I'm as much a part of this war as anyone else! I should hear what's going on to!"

"Young lady! Yo-."

"But it's not fair!"

"Ginny!" Mr. Weasley's voice boomed. "You're not old enough to be a member of the Order. Now go to your room."

Ginny huffed in both anger and defeat, stomping out of the kitchen and up the stairs with her fists by her sides. As soon as she left, Mrs. Weasley flicked her wand and the doors to the kitchen shut and a blue light spread over the outline of the doorframe, signaling that there was a Silencing Charm on the doors.

They all turned to Remus and Tonks and looked at them expectantly. Remus reached into his cloak and pulled out a small bag, making everyone's eyes narrow in confusion. He reached into the bag, with seemed to be charmed or something due to him putting his entire arm inside, and pulled out something shiny. And big. And metal.

Remus flipped the object over and the proud image of a lion was beautifully painted on the silver metal. Red and gold adorned the back of the front with the lion painted on top. The metal looked new, like it had never been touched in its life. There was no sight of rust or any scratch or scrape on the smooth surface.

"What is that?" Ron asked, wide-eyed.

"This," Remus said,"Is the shield of Godric Gryffindor." The Weasley family and Harry stared wide-eyed at Remus.

"Where did you find it?"

"Godric Hollow. I just can't believe a horcrux has been right in front of us and we haven't even noticed it," Tonks spoke up.

"But we don't know it's a horcrux yet. Remember there were two possibilities that could be the horcrux of Gryffindor," Fred spoke up, his brow scrunched together in concern.

"Well then, we'll find out won't we," Remus said, starting towards the door.

"Ummm, I hate to be a downer but I really don't want a repeat of last time," Harry interrupted, his voice laced with a bit forced humor only to cover up the ache in his heart as the words that the locket spoke to raced through his mind.

"Yeah! And Bill isn't even hear," Ron said matter-of-factly.

"Well then how are we going to destroy it?" George said, running a hand through his fiery hair.

"Well where are the other Order members?" Mr. Weasley asked, trying to help out the situation. "I'm sure that Moody or someone would have a spell that could help." Remus shook his head.

"Some are searching for more horcruxes. Some are trying to locate Voldemort and find out his plans. We're all over the place. Everything has been really chaotic since Dumbledore died," Remus said, his voice dying at the end, making his clear his throat in order to try and cover his choke up.

They all stood in silence for several minutes, each and every one of them in deep thought. Halfway through their thinking, Fred and George both sat down and Tonks leaned against the wall.

"What about Fiendfyre?" Remus said suddenly after a few minutes, making a few people in the room jump.

"Cursed fire?" Mrs. Weasley said fearfully, her voice quavering and muffled due to having her hand over her mouth. Remus nodded, his face a mask hiding any emotion that he must be feeling.

"But isn't that really hard to control?" Harry asked, stepping forward.

"It is but they made people learn it in order to become an auror." They all looked at Tonks, who was now standing away from the wall.

"So you know how to control it?" George asked his eyebrows up high on his forehead.

"For about a minute," Tonks said crossing her arms, "I think that's long enough to destroy a horcrux."

"We might want to do this outside though," Remus said, looking down at the shield in his hands. They all nodded and made this way towards the front door.

"Wait! Maybe we should just let Tonks do it," Mrs. Weasley yelled from the kitchen just as they were halfway out the front door.

"Molly, they'll be fine. Why don't you make sure Ginny won't spy on us," Mr. Weasley said in a calming voice. Mrs. Weasley nodded reluctantly and cast one more glance at the group near the door before exiting the kitchen.

Mr. Weasley nodded at them before following them out of the front door. The cold hit them like a punch to the stomach. The cold hit their faces and small snowflakes floated down, landing and quickly melting on their faces. Tonks walked a good distance away from the group and placed the shield on a snowy tree stump, the vibrant colors standing out in the snowy background.

"Alright, everyone stand back," Tonks said, taking her wand out. The group behind her took a few steps and watched as Tonks took a deep breath, planting her feet more sturdily on the white ground.

With a quick, fluent swing of her arm and a twist of her wand, a rope of fire shot out of her wand. The fire grew and strengthened as more fire came out of the tip. The fire morphed and grew and rose in the air. The heat the fire was giving off was visibly melting the snow on the ground and Tonks had broken into a sweat within seconds after the fire was conjured.

Harry watched as the fire shot suddenly in the air, its wings spread and its tail a thick rope of flames still connected to the end of Tonks' wand, the rope of flame getting thinner as it moved closer to the tip of the wand.

The phoenix made of fire flew higher into the sky, it's powerful, red, orange, and yellow wings spreading higher, its head high as Harry watched it rise. The heat reaching him and making a sheet of sweat appear on his forehead.

With a screeching cry, the phoenix suddenly plunged down and hit the horcrux with a clang of metal, the fire crushing down of the shield making the flames blow backwards at Tonks, who fell backwards and scrambled away before the flames could hit her. Sparks flew through the air and a piercing scream torn through the air.

Everyone watching covered their ears but kept their eyes glued to the scene before them. All of a sudden, fire exploded and erupted on top of the horcrux and the sound of ripping metal torn through their eardrums despite their ears being covered by their hands.

The fire seemed to grow and churn in front of them. The ground was now burning grass beneath the fire. The fire grew higher, now at least 10 feet high. The horrible, gut-wrenching scream continued; the inhumanly sound pounding through Harry's head.

Suddenly, the fire fell into itself, pounding the horcrux it was on top of. The fire fell down with a thunderous _boom!_ and Harry swore he felt his teeth vibrate due to the violent shaking of the ground. The shrill scream died down slowly and Harry looked up the mangled piece of metal that was once a shield. The flames were entirely gone but the heat still lingered in the air, mixing with the cold.

Harry watched Remus run over to Tonks, who was still on the ground leaning on her arms. He watched as Remus said something to her and Tonks nod in affirmation. They both got up and the rest of the group walked slowly over to them, all eyes on the twisted lump of metal on the burnt grass.

Harry silently pushed through the group and crouched over the hunk of now burnt, melted metal. Harry slowly touched it, his fingertips just brushing it, the metal still hot. Harry quickly put a Cooling Charm on the metal and brought his whole hand to grab it. He lifted it up, turning it over in his hands.

The paint was still visible in some small spots but overall, the whole chunk of metal was burnt and melted to an unidentifiable piece of junk. Harry looked up and smiled at the group looking down at him. Harry stood still holding the destroyed horcrux.

"One more down then," Remus smiled, patting Harry on the back then kissing Tonks on the head. Harry smiled at Tonks.

"Thanks Tonks. You were brilliant." Tonks gave him a tired smile and ruffled his hair.

"t was a lot easier than last time," she said.

"Well…it was definitely a lot quicker," Fred spoke from behind. Tonks laughed and together, she and Lupin walked back into the house, Mr. Weasley following.

"Well, this was a surprising Christmas present," Ron said, as he, Harry, and the twins started towards the house. Harry smiled.

"It's one of the best ones I have ever gotten."

* * *

><p>His red eyes narrowed as his gaze moved around the big, rectangle table. The Death Eaters stared uncomfortably at the veneer of the table, some glancing sideways to see if his eyes were still on them. With a scrap of a chair, Voldemort stood from his elegant seat, his black cloak billowing around him.<p>

He started to walk slowly around the table, his eyes glaring at everyone sitting in his presence. He stopped in the middle of his slow walk around the room and took a breath, the slits that served as a nose flaring slightly.

"I have waited," Voldemort started, trying to stay calm, "for much too long." He started his walk again and many of the Death Eaters looked down, avoiding his gaze.

"I have depended on you all to do a simple task… and yet you ALWAYS DISAPPOINT ME!" Voldemort screamed at them. He walked back to the head of the table and leaned down, gripping the sides of the table with his hands, his eyes glaring at all of the people in front of him. He took a deep breath and continued as calmly as humanly possible.

"Now I will give you all once last chance to find her and bring her to me. This is your utmost important job. That mudblood has ruined by plans for the last time. I need her captured or we will not have as big as an advantage as we want. Do I make myself clear?" The Death Eaters nodded and Voldemort grinned maliciously.

"Good… good. You are all dismissed. Do not disappoint me."

* * *

><p>AN: Hey! Sorry it took a little longer than expected. This chapter was mostly focused on Harry but there will be more Hermione in later chapters! Hope you enjoy and let me know what you think! Leave a review please!


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does.

* * *

><p>Harry plunked himself down on the seat and gently placed an irritated Hedwig next to him. He watched as Ron fell down in the seat in front of him, immediately taking up most of the room in the small compartment as he stretched his long legs out in front of him. Ginny sat down once she put her trunk away and slide the compartment door closed; she sat besides Hedwig's cage and immediately slumped over on her seat.<p>

They sat in silence as the train started slowly, soon gaining speed, along the track, snow covered land quickly starting to speed past their window. Just as the quiet started it soon ended as the trio's heads snapped up as they watched the compartment door slide open.

"Is it alright if I sit here? Everywhere else is full."

"Sure Neville," Harry said, focusing his attention of the scenery outside the window. Neville smiled and put his trunk on the shelf above him and then sat down next to Ron with some kind of plant with purple leaves sitting on his lap, its leaves sometimes swaying back and forth.

"So Neville, how was your Christmas?" Ginny spoke awkwardly, eyeing his place curiously.

"It was great. Me and gran went to visit my parents on Christmas Eve. And I got this from gran," he said smiling, holding out his plant.

"That's great Neville," Harry said, a fake smile on his face, his eyes now glued to the plant, eyeing it curiously. "What is it?

"Oh, this is a Screechsnap. Its leaves have healing properties and are used in many potions. It's very rare. The only annoying thing about it is that it screeches when you give it too much water."

"Great," Ron mumbled under his breath, barely audible. Luckily, Neville didn't seem to notice.

"Sounds like you had a great Christmas Neville," Ginny said, giving Ron a quick glare. Harry turned away at this point, not paying any more attention to their continuing conversation. He felt someone's eyes on him and he turned his head slightly away from the window only to see Ron look away quickly.

They sat like that for a little more than a half-an-hour, Ginny and Neville's voice dying in the background half-way through. Ginny suddenly got up and stretched, announcing that she was going to see if she could find the trolley. She left the compartment with a slight _click_ as the compartment door closed.

Just after Ginny left, Neville got up and clutched his plant in his arm.

"Hey guys," he said, breaking the two friends out of their thoughts, "I'm gonna go and see if I can find Dean and Seamus." Harry and Ron both nodded and watched as Neville stepped out and slide the door closed. As soon as Neville was out the door, Ron got up and locked the door.

"Why did you do that?" Harry asked as Ron took his seat again.

"I just didn't feel like having anyone barging in," Ron said simply, staring out of the window. After a few minutes of silence, Ron spoke again.

"It's weird…strange you know?"

"No, I don't actually," Harry said, his eyes narrowing as he continued to look out the window.. "What's strange about Neville's plant?"

"No not the plant Harry. This year! This year has been almost…normal."

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it Harry!" Ron said, getting up and pacing. "Nothing has happened at all this year. There had been no attacks at Hogwarts, no threats. We haven't even seen a Death Eater all year! The last attack I heard about was the werewolf attack in Wales. It's just like Voldemort never existed. We haven't heard of him all year."

Ron stopped pacing and looked at Harry, speaking in a quiet and calm voice. "Tell me Harry, how many times has your scar burned because of Voldemort?" Harry looked at Ron and opened his mouth to response but closed it slowly, his eyes widening slightly.

"What do you think Voldemort's doing?" Ron sat down and ran his hand through his ginger locks.

"I don't know Harry."

"It has to be something big… and something that he doesn't want me to know of. I only had a couple dreams this year and it was hardly anything. I don't think he wanted me to see anything, even though what I saw was useless. But whatever he is doing… it must be big." There was silence in the compartment.

"Do you think it has something to do with Hermione?" Ron said quietly, his voice heavy with worry at the mere thought. Harry cradled his head in his hands, digging his palms into his wet eyes and sighed heavily.

"I hope not," he said, his voice cracking.

* * *

><p>Remus paced back and forth, over and over again, with both of his hands curled into fists clenched locks of his graying brown hair. His pace was fast, his legs taking long strides as he paced the complete length of the room, his head spinning slightly as he turned around over and over again at this continually fast pace.<p>

It didn't make sense. Nothing made sense anymore. First, there was an attack and Hermione disappears. Next, there were more attacks and even a werewolf attack with three Death Eaters dead. Then there were the Horcruxes. And now there is a mysterious werewolf which is quite possible that only he knows of.

But all of those things had to mean something. They all had to fit together somehow. Could it be possible that Hermione went to look for Horcruxes by herself? No, that was impossible; Harry and Ron would never let her go alone. Maybe they didn't know; maybe she went off without telling anyone. But he knew the Hermione was not that stupid.

But then there was the attack in the summer. If Death Eaters attacked Hermione, then she was probably kidnapped. But he was sure that Harry would have seen something; he was sure that Voldemort would have let something slip if he had Hermione.

But then he was back to square one again. Who were the werewolves who had killed the Death Eaters and the one that had attacked him? Could it be possible that they were the same werewolf? He didn't think that any werewolf on Voldemort's side would kill their own but anything could happen. But it would seem possible that the werewolf who attacked him could take on three Death Eaters, defeat them all, and then was able to run away from the entire area before the Death Eaters were found.

Remus paused in his dizzying pacing and fell into the nearest chair. He let his head fall into his hands and he rubbed his forehead, a dull throbbing ache beginning to pronounce itself from behind his eyes. He growled in frustration as he continued to rub his head.

Suddenly, he jumped to his feet and yet again continued to paced, a bit slower than last time. His one arm was wrapped around his stomach while the other covered his mouth, his elbow resting on his hand.

Could it be possible? Could it be even remotely possible? His eyebrows scrunched together and his eyes narrowed. He remembered hearing about the attack on Hermione and her disappearance after that about two weeks after her attack. His eyes narrowed even more as he pushed his brain even harder, ignoring his pounding head.

The week Hermione was attacked was the week of the full moon, he knew that for sure. But was it possible that the night of the attack was the night of the full moon? It was true that it could have just been a coincidence because he didn't know the exact night the attack occurred.

But if Hermione was attacked by a werewolf on the full moon, was she specifically targeted? The name Greyback flew into his mind. What if he bit Hermione then captured her once she got out of the hospital. Or maybe Hermione just ran away because she was attacked.

Remus shook his head. He was jumping to every conclusion remotely possible and it wasn't getting him anywhere. All it was doing was producing more questions for him to answer. Hermione could have just gotten kidnapped after she left the hospital because she was able to get away the first time.

But then he was back to square one once again. Death Eaters couldn't just slip into a home without a trace, especially when it was Hermione's house. She would most definitely put up a fight. She would never go quietly.

So that meant that she left willingly. The letter she left was explaining that she was leaving but the Death Eaters could have made her write that letter or something to lead the Ministry and the Order off their trail. But then who was the werewolf who attacked him?

He growled, louder this time, and hurled the closest thing in his reach at the wall, which happened to be a lamp. He watched it crack and break apart, his chest heaving as he looked at the smashed lamp now on the ground in many pieces.

Everything answer he came up with came with a question and more uncertainties. He couldn't just jump to conclusions but he didn't really want to face the truth either. He walked backward until he hit the wall, sliding down it and landing on the floor, his legs bend with his head lying on knees.

Questions once again ran through his mind followed by answers and more questions followed by frustration and confusion. Right now, he only had two possible conclusions. One, that Hermione was taken by Death Eaters and, hopefully, was still alive. Two, she was bitten and she had run away, scared and alone.

As much as he didn't like either option, knowing how awful it was being a monster every month and how terrifying it might be to be captured and probably tortured by Death Eaters, he desperately hoped that it was the latter.

* * *

><p>Hermione paced the small space that was her current hiding place. She walked in a quick, nervous pace, glancing up every other turn as if she was waiting for someone to just pop out of nowhere and find her. She glanced at her small bag, looking empty just sitting on the moldy table in the middle of the room but in reality, everything she had was in there, ready for her to make a quick escape if she needed to.<p>

She quickened her paced, her heart beating so hard she thought that someone would be able to see it through her shirt. She was terrified to say the least. She was sure that someone would have found her. Maybe the Death Eaters couldn't find her here. Maybe Remus didn't tell anyone.

But it didn't make sense. The Death Eaters have always found her. Maybe they were concocting a plan to get her for sure this time. Even if they were, she wouldn't let them have her. No matter how tired and drained she was, she would never surrender in a fight; she would never give up hope.

But what about Remus. She knew he was the werewolf, there was no doubt in that. And she was sure he was alive. If he never returned from the full moon, there would be a full blown search and if they search in the area where she was, she knew that they would have found her. The Order wasn't stupid.

But sense they didn't find her, that meant he was alive and hadn't told anyone. She didn't even know if he knew she was the silver werewolf. Then another thought hit her. Maybe he didn't remember anything. Maybe it was possible that she hit him hard enough to make him not remember anything. She knew that he took the potion; she still saw the familiar eyes beneath the anger and fear. But maybe it was possible that he didn't remember.

Hermione sighed angrily and slid down the wall that was behind her. She let her pounding head fall into her knees and she put her arms around her legs, hugging them to her like they were a long-lost friend. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, trying to contain the hot, salty tears from falling from her eyes.

She sniffed and sat there, huddled to the wall as if she was trying to become a part of it. She wondered what would happen if the Death Eaters found her. Would they try to capture her or just kill her? As much as she despised both choices, she didn't want to die.

_Voldemort would probably just kill me anyway_, Hermione thought pessimistically. Suddenly, her head was up so quickly that her neck popped. She had forgotten about the horcrux hunt. She wondered how Harry and Ron were dealing with it. Did they find any yet? Did they destroy any? Did they manage to find out what the mystery horcruxes were?

Her heart seemed to crack into a million tiny pieces when she thought about them. She wanted to go back to them so badly it physically hurt. She wanted to just hug them and tell them she was fine. She wanted to tell everyone that everything was okay. She just wanted to see their faces again. Her parents, the Weasley's, her friends at Hogwarts and the teachers. And Harry.

She closed her eyes and let her head hit the wall, quiet sobs shaking her body and hot tears leaking out of her eyes and leaving wet streaks down her face as they slowly slid down her cheeks.

She just wanted to feel his arms around her, shielding her from everything happening around her, wrapping her up in his warmth. She just wanted him to take the place of the cold that surrounded her. She just wanted him to chase away the blackness.

She just wanted to feel safe again.

* * *

><p>AN: Hello everyone! I'm trying to get the chapters out as fast as possible. Next weekend I'll be going on vacation for a few days and I just want to get as many chapters out as possible. I also wanted to say thank you to everyone reading this story and for waiting patiently for each chapter. You guys are awesome!


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: You all should know by now…I don't own Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does.

* * *

><p>(<strong>Now early February<strong>)

Harry fell heavily into his seat, eyeing all of the food in front of him with a slightly disgusted look. With a heavy sigh, he placed a single piece of toast on his plate and spread some butter on it. He only got one small bite down before Ron appeared in front of him, plunking himself down onto the bench, already dressed in Gryffindor uniform, as was Harry.

"You nervous?" Ron asked after a few minutes of silence, biting on a bagel slightly, looking a little green in the face.

"I'm always before a game."

"I know what ya mean. But we'll win," Ron finished with a forced, nervous smile while he put down his bagel, which only had two bites taken from it. Harry put down his toast just as Ginny walked up to them, also dressed in her red and gold uniform.

"Most of the team is already down there warming up. I was just heading there now. You guys should too." Harry and Ron nodded and watched Ginny walk away before heaving themselves up from the table and start their walk to the Quidditch pitch.

However, their walk took twice as long as it should have due to all the people stopping them to wish them luck, including Neville, Seamus, and Dean with all of their faces painted half red and half gold, with Gryffindor scarves wrapped around their necks, hats on their head, and shirts with lions on then along with Gryffindor flags in their hands. They also ran into many younger students, half of them people they didn't even know, and Luna, adorned in her Gryffindor hat roaring proudly despite the fact that her house was also playing.

They eventually made it down to the locker rooms and they quickly grabbed their brooms and, in Ron's case, grabbed his gloves. They all met the rest of the team near the opening to the pitch. Harry pushed through his team members and faced them, all of them falling silent to listen to their captain.

"Okay everyone! I want to make this as quick as possible. Just go out there and try your hardest. Ravenclaw isn't really rough and assertive but they are tricky. They always have a clever trick up their sleeves. So just keep your eyes open and try your hardest."

Just as Harry's speech ended, Colin Creevey's voice rang through the pitch (he had taken over for Lee). The Gryffindor team all mounted their brooms and got into formation. Harry waited patiently as Colin announced the Ravenclaw team, fidgeting on his broom slightly.

"AND HERE COMES THE GRYFFINDOR TEAM!" Colin's voice boomed. At the sound of this announcement, Harry pushed off the ground and his Firebolt zoomed into the air. He leaned forward and flew around the pitch with the rest of the team following him while Colin's voice exploded in his ears as he announced the team at an ear-splitting volume.

After they circled the pitch a couple times, Harry slowed down and stopped in front of the Ravenclaw caption, a seventh year boy with brown hair and a sturdy stature. Both teams floated there while Madam Hooch flew to the middle of both teams.

"Now I want a nice, clean game!" she shouted her whistle in her fingers. She looked at both caption. "Alright! Captains, shake hands!" Harry firmly shook Ravenclaw's caption and gave him a curt nod, which he returned. The box below them opened and Harry watched as the Snitch was let out (along with the Bludgers) only to quickly zoomed out of sight.

"Alright, on my whistle!" Madam Hooch screamed as she pulled the Quaffle out from under her arm. She sucked in a breath and blew her whistle with extreme power, throwing the Quaffle in the air, both teams a blur as they tried to get a hold of the ball.

Harry quickly flew high in the cold, February air and squinted as he tried to locate the snitch. It was pretty cold out and he didn't really want to stay out here for long. He flew around the pitch, listening to the booming voice of Colin as he announced every single move the teams made.

"AND GRYFFINDOR HAS POSSESION OF THE QUAFFLE. PUCKLE PASSES TO WEASLEY WHO PASSES BACK TO PUCKLE. AND…OHHH! CLOSE CALL THERE! NICE DODGE FROM PUCKLE. AND THEY'RE REACHING THE GOAL POSTS. PUCKLE PASSES TO WEASLEY WHO SHOOTS…..AND SCORES! 0 to 10 GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry continued to fly around the pitch, letting a small smile appear on his face as he watched Ginny make the goal. The stands continued to scream themselves hoarse as the teams were once again off, fighting for the Quaffle again.

"AND RAVENCLAW HAS THE QUAFFLE. HARRISON PASSES TO GREENE WHO PASSES BACK TO HARRISON AND OHHH… HARRISON TAKES A BLUDGER TO THE SHOULDER. NICE BLUDGER ACTION FROM GRYFFINDOR BUT GREENE RECOVERS THE QUAFFLE AND SHOOT….AND NICE SAVE BY WEASLEY! STILL 0 TO 10 GRYFFINDOR!

Harry shook himself mentally at this point and turned away from the ongoing game below him, returning his focus into finding the Snitch. He stole a quick glance at the Ravenclaw Seeker flying slowly around the pitch, occasionally almost running into a Bludger or dodging a player.

Harry sighed and started to fly slowly around again, grateful for the fact that it was not snowing. He stopped and looked around the pitch. Even though it had only been about 15 minutes or so into the game, the cold was already biting his skin and he just wanted to sit by the fire in the common room.

The cheers seemed to increase and Harry looked down to see the Ravenclaw students screaming wildly as one of their Chasers pumped his fist in the air a few times as he flew past the stands before diving back into the game. Harry sighed and started to fly around once again.

He flew around slowly, occasionally glancing at his other players flying in all directions. He flew a little higher, ignoring the Ravenclaw Seeker that was now trying to copy his movements, and floated on his broom.

He found his glance go on the Gryffindor stand. He could see all the faces painted in red and gold, everyone dressed in red and gold attired, waving flags. He looked over all of them, Luna standing out the most in her lion hat roaring proudly into the air. His heart ached and his grip on his broom tightened as he didn't see the familiar face smiling and cheering along with the crowd.

He frowned slightly as he continued to look at the Gryffindor stands, like he was expecting her to magically appear if he looked long enough. He wished she was there watching him, occasionally throwing concerned looks when someone barely dodged a Bludger. Most of all, he missed her shouts when Gryffindor scored.

Harry was broken out of his thoughts by a blur of gold fly past him. He automatically snapped back into reality and leaned to his side, his broom turning and speeding through the air within a matter of seconds. Harry could hear the Ravenclaw Seeker behind him and the loud, excited cheers from the crowd but he blocked it out and leaned forward on his broom, the Snitch a few feet away from his reach.

The Golden Snitch suddenly turned sharply but Harry mirrored its movements. Harry dove lower as the Snitch dropped lower to the ground. The Snitch wove itself through the stands but Harry stayed on its tail, not once losing sight of it. He faintly heard the other Seeker crash into a stand behind him but he didn't once glance away from the Snitch.

The Snitch suddenly flew sideways and to the ground just as Harry reached out to make a swipe at it. Harry clenched his jaw as he also dove to the ground, the wind whipping around him, making a whistling sound in his ears and it hit his face with continuous blasts of cold air. The Snitch suddenly straightened itself just before it hit the snow, covered ground below. Harry ignored the gasps from the stands as he just barely missed the ground and he straightened himself out on his broom.

The Snitch was directly in front of him now, just out of reach. He leaned forward a bit more and outstretched his arm, his hand open and ready to grab the small, winged ball in front of him. His fingertips just touched the Snitch as he leaned forward even more.

_This is for you Hermione,_ Harry though just as his hand closed over the golden ball.

* * *

><p>Harry took a small sip of the hot, foamy liquid contained in a plastic cup. He slowly swallowed the warm brew, letting it warm him from the inside out. Laughter and cheers could be heard going on around him mixed in with the sound of some kind of music blasting through the Common Room, making Harry surprised that he could actually hear people talking around him. Occasionally, a slap on the shoulder or back made him turn around only to see ecstatic Gryffindors congratulation them on a job well done.<p>

Ron stood next to Harry, also cradling a cup of Butterbeer in his hands while he chatted with Seamus, who was standing in front of them. Seamus was talking loudly, gesticulating with every other word, and laughing hard at random moments, spilling some of the contents in his cup on the floor.

It had been his idea (along with Dean and probably a few other people) to throw this party. They had mentioned at the beginning that they felt like they needed a bit of a distraction from everything and that they thought they could cheer them up a bit, using the recent win of the game as an excuse to bring in barrels of Butterbeer and sneak in a considerable amount of Firewhiskey into the Common Room. As Harry listened to his slurred sentences, he guessed that Seamus had consumed the majority of the Firewhiskey.

He shook his head only to suddenly look up and smile forcibly at someone who had slapped him on the back. He turned back to Ron, who was giving a weak, fake laugh that soon turned into a grimace as he continued to have a "conversation" with Seamus. He turned to Harry slightly and gave him a "please help me look" before jumping into the air as Seamus clapped him on the shoulder while laughing wildly.

"Ummm Seamus?" Harry said, making Seamus look up at him. "We have to go now."

"Surrreee mate," Seamus slurred as he patted Harry on the shoulder, spilling some Firewhiskey on Harry arm.

"Alright then, see ya later," Harry said awkwardly. Harry quickly grabbed Ron's arm and walked away, weaving through the crowd of Gryffindors, some were dancing, some were yelling wildly, while others just stood around talking, occasionally taking a sip of their drinks.

"Well… that was fun," Ron said sarcastically. "I swear, I think he spilled his entire cup on me!" Harry just rolled his eyes and handed him a napkin, with which he started to wipe his wet shirt.

"Come on, let's see if we can find Ginny," Ron said, throwing the used napkin on the table besides him after a few minutes. Harry made no objections; he just followed him through the crowd. Harry looked down and watched his feet as he walked, which wasn't the smartest move seeing as he ran into Ron's back when he stopped short for some reason.

Harry looked up and stepped beside Ron, who was just helping Neville off of the ground, having obviously knocked him over when he ran into him.

"Oh! I'm glad I found you two. I was just going into the Common Room and McGonagall came up to me. She wants to see you two in her office. I have no idea why; she didn't tell me anything besides the fact that she wants you both up there immediately."

"Okay, Thanks Neville," Harry said, forcing a smile to appear on his face.

"No problem," Neville said. They both nodded to him and walked past him toward the portrait hole. "Oh! And guys!" Both Ron and Harry turned around again to face Neville.

"Good game today," he said simply. Then he turned around and disappeared into the crowd.

* * *

><p>Harry and Ron silently slipped through the door and stepped into McGonagall's office. Ron walk in first, then Harry, who closed the door behind him with a small<em> thud<em>. Harry looked up only to see that he was staring at a small group of Order members. Mr. Weasley, as well as Fred and George, were standing at one side of McGonagall's desk. Kingsley and Remus were standing on the other side next to McGonagall.

As soon as they all heard the door close, they all looked up. McGonagall was the first to walk over to them in a fast pace, ushering them closer to the group. Harry walked up with Ron, his gaze moving past every face, all eyes looking at the duo that had just walked in. Fred and George both smiled sadly at him and Harry couldn't help but think that they looked 10 years older.

Mr. Weasley gave him a tired smile, his Weasley hair graying at the sides. Kingsley only looked at him, the wrinkles around his face prominent as his eyes met Harry's gaze. Remus gave him a quick fatherly smile as he gave him, and probably Ron as well, a brief nod before Harry turned to McGonagall, who was just walking around the desk so she could stand in front of the two students. Her gray hair had more white steaks in it and her tired eyes turned to look at him, a weak smile gracing her face as her worried gaze met his. And it was only now that Harry noticed how this war was affecting every other person and his heart twisted as he felt responsible for it all.

McGonagall's voice was the hammer breaking through his thoughts.

"I must say that I have to apologize for taking you both away from that party but we have more important things to do right now," McGonagall said, not wasting any time getting to the point. She looked at Mr. Weasley and he reached into his pocket, taking out a decorated, polished wand, looking like it had never been used or even touched in its entire existence. He wordlessly handed it to McGonagall. Harry watched as she grabbed the wand, turning it around in her hands.

The wand was about 11 inches made of dark polished wood. The wand was adorned with vines, starting at the bottom of the wood and twisting around the length of it until it met the top. It reminded him slightly of Hermione's wand but Harry quickly shook himself mentally and focused on the task at hand.

"That is Ravenclaw's wand, isn't it?" Harry said, not looking up from the wand now in McGonagall's hands.

"It is indeed Harry."

"Where'd you guys find it," Ron asked, turning his head to look at his father and brothers on one side of the desk.

"It's a long story actually," Fred started, "but to get to the point, we found it in a muggle museum."

"Really, but how did you get it out." Fred opened his mouth to respond but Harry cut him off.

"I don't really think that matters right now. We can hear the whole story later along with how they found all the other horcruxes. But right now we have something important to do." Harry looked back at the wand in McGonagall's hands.

"Do we even know it's a horcrux," He said looking up again. "I mean with the Gryffindor shield, we just winged it and were lucky enough. I mean, it was a 50/50 chance then. But how do we know that this is one."

"How about you tell us Harry." Harry looked up to meet McGonagall's gaze, then looked down at her outstretched arm, the wand in her hand. Harry hesitated for a moment before slowly lifting his arm to her, his fingertips hovering above the dark wood of the wand. He swallowed the lump in his throat and grabbed the wand without anymore hesitation.

A burning pain instantly shot through his scar, making him instinctively clutch his forehead, his mouth open in silent agony. It felt like a hot, metal iron was poking through his head. It felt like his skull was being viciously cracked open with a hammer. But as soon as it came, it ended, leaving Harry standing there with his hand on his forehead while people's voices rang in his ears, asking if he was okay.

"I'm fine. Really, I am," Harry said, ignoring the worried glances watching him.

"So I guess that's a horcrux then," Ron said, looking from Harry to the wand and back. Harry nodded, his eyes never leaving the wand as he held it steadily him his hands.

"The only problem is how we destroy it," George said, looking at the wand in Harry's hand.

"Well couldn't we just use the Fiendfyre? You know, like last time," Ron suggested.

"None of us are particularly skilled in that. Tonks is the only person I know, besides Dumbledore of course, who could control it for a substantial amount of time," Remus said.

"Well then why couldn't we just get Tonks?" Harry shrugged. Remus closed his eyes and shook his eyes then looked back at Harry.

"She's at the Ministry. We couldn't just drag her out of there. And besides, it's too risky to do it in this office if something did go wrong. And I don't think it would be practical if we did it outside. We don't know who is watching."

Ron took the wand gently out of Harry's grasp and turned it in his calloused hands. Harry watched Ron as he placed both hands at either end of the wand. "What would happen if we just broke it?" His last word was both drown out by Harry (along with everyone else) yelling, trying to grab the wand out of his hand, and the snapping sound of the wand.

Time seemed to slow for Harry. As soon as the wand broke, both pieces of the wand in either of Ron's hands, a gray smoke rose from the broken sides of the wand. Harry stumbled backwards as Ron's hair was blown back as the smoke rose. Ron's face went from curiosity to fear as he was lifted off his feet as the smoke rose around him, flying backwards into the wall behind him. Harry stumbled into the desk, the screams and yells from people around him ringing in his ears as time changed into its normal pace.

Harry looked at the crumpled heap leaning against the wall, the gray smoke now gone, just like it had never been there. The wall above was cracked from the force of Ron's body being hit against it, and the pieces of the wand lay at either sides of Ron.

Harry was the first one to move into action. He slowly straightened up the desk and walked over to Ron. His pace was agonizingly slow, like he just expected Ron to jump up and curse him. Harry felt everyone's eyes on him, the people behind him all too shell-shocked to move.

Harry leaned down as he slowly neared the crumpled heap before him. He slowly kneeled down beside him and almost hesitatingly, reached out it touch him. Harry shook his arm lightly at first but then with more vigor.

"Ron. Ron. Ron, come on, wake up!" Harry whispered urgently. He faintly heard movement behind him as he continued to shake his best friend. Harry slowly leaned closer to Ron, placing both hands on his shoulders, about to shake him when a cold hand suddenly shot up and grabbed Harry around his neck.

Harry's hands were instinctively up to his neck, trying to pry the cold hand away from his throat. A cold laugh suddenly filled his ears and he watched as Ron's eyes opened, except they weren't Ron's eyes. His once blue eyes were red. Blood red.

Ron stood slowly, his hand clenching tighter around Harry's neck. He stood at full higher, Harry's feet dangling above the ground as his laughter got louder and louder. His eyes flickered from Harry's now red face to the Order members, with their wands ready, at the other end of the room.

"Ahh, Harry. So nice to see you," Ron spoke, a silky, cold voice coming out of his mouth as his red eyes flickered back to look at Harry. Harry only struggled harder and tried to pry the hand off his neck more desperately as his snake-like voice rang through his ears.

"Struggling will get you nowhere, silly boy," Voldemort spoke again through Ron's mouth. His eyes flickered back to the Order members. "As well will your wands," He said as he waved his hand, making all of the wands fly out of their hands and fall with a clatter at the other side of the room. Slowly, Harry reached into his pocket as the hand around his neck tightened, cutting his air off even more. But just as his hand came out with his wand his grasp, Ron's hand came and hit it out of his hand and onto the floor with a clatter.

"They can't hurt me, Harry. Because if they try, they only hurt him… the Weasley boy, that stupid blood traitor," Voldemort whispered in Harry's ear. Harry heard a growl from behind him and someone start to make a run at them but Ron lifted his wand as froze everyone behind him. He looked back at Harry and an evil grin curved on his lips, making Harry's heart jump as he looked at his friend's malicious gaze.

"She's dead you know," he whispered in his ear. "She's gone and it's all because of you." A deep growl sounded in the back of Harry's throat and he thrashed around harder, only to have himself slammed against the wall with such force that what was left of the oxygen in him lungs was forced out of him. Ron's face was now in front of his, their noses close to touching.

"Everyone you have ever loved is going to die and it's your fault. You're going to lose Harry Potter. You're going to lose everything, including your life." Ron lifter Harry higher at the last word and threw him on the ground with a _thud_.

"You are going to die Harry Potter," Voldemort's silky voice said out of Ron's mouth, Ron's face contorted into an evil, hatred filled sneer as he lifted his wand.

"Fight it Ron!"

"I have no time for your silly games boy," he shouted as he threw a curse down a Harry, which Harry rolled to avoid.

"Ron! I know you can fight it!" Harry yelled louder this time, glancing at his wand that lay about two feet away from him as he slowly started to inch toward it.

"Ron, I know you can fight it! I know you can hear me! You have to fight it." Ron's arm dropped slightly before it came up again, a curse escaping his mouth again.

"Ron! Listen to me! Fight it!" Harry yelled as the curse just missed him, hitting the spot where he had just previously been. Suddenly, Ron's malicious grin left his face and his arm dropped. Ron dropped to his knees, his mouth open and his head back. The gray smoke rose out of Ron's open mouth, gathering above him.

Ron fell sideways as the smoke left his body, the smoke forming a face. Mouth open, brow pointed down and his red eyes glowing angrily. The face made of the gray, swirling smoke suddenly started to rush at Harry and Harry watched it with wide eyes. With a desperate mover, Harry grabbed his wand behind him and shouted the first curse that came to his mind.

"Avada Kedavra!"

The green curse shot out of the tip of his wand and Harry watched wide-eyed as the curse soared straight into the mass of gray smoke, mixing in with the swirling mass. A terrible scream tore through the room as the green curse met the gray face of smoke and Harry brought his hand up to cover his ears.

The smoke curled into a ball, a bright light coming from a crack in the smoke. It swirled into a smaller ball, more cracks appearing making more light shine through. All of a sudden, the ball exploded, making Harry's hands come away from his ears and shield his face from the light that exploded in front of him. By the time Harry opened his eyes, the screaming was gone by now as well as the swirling, gray smoke.

Harry slowly lowered his arms and looked around. Mr. Weasley as well as the twins and McGonagall were already around Ron's unconscious form, while Kingsley walked over to Harry and offered Harry his hand, lifting him up while Remus walked over and picked up the two pieces of Ravenclaw's wand.

Harry just stared in front of him at the two scorch marks on the floor from the curses Ron- no Voldemort- threw at him, his lungs still deprived of oxygen as he panted hard. A soft groan snapped him back to the world and he quickly left Kingsley and Remus, skidding over to Ron and kneeling beside him. Ron groaned again as he lifted himself up onto his elbows with one of the twins help.

"Bloody hell…what happened?" Ron said groggily, rubbing his head, his now blue eyes looking around at the people surrounding him.

"We told you not to break that bloody wand, little bro," George said, a relieved smile on his face.

"Shut up George. Your voice makes my head pound harder," Ron said, lying back down onto the floor, a smile on his face as well.

"Mr. Weasley, let's get you to the Hospital Wing, shall we? And I suppose you should follow Mr. Potter. I'll have Madam Pomphrey look you both over," McGonagall said.

"So did we destroy it?" Ron asked as Mr. Weasley, the twins, and Harry helped him stand, keeping him steady on his two feet.

"Yes, we did," the voice of Remus answered as he came forward with the wand pieces in his hand.

"But next time Ron, listen for once," Harry said, rubbing his sore, probably bruising, neck. Ron just gave him a weak smile and let Fred and George support him as they left the room, Mr. Weasley and McGonagall following.

"Are you okay Harry?" Kingsley asked after the door closed while he repaired the cracked wall.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Never better," Harry croaked. Kingsley just sighed and announced that he had to leave; only to disappear in green flames a few moments later, leaving Harry with only Remus in the room.

"We should probably get you down to see Madam Pomphrey and let her take a look at your neck. It already looks like its bruising." Harry just nodded but made no move to the door. Remus sighed and came up behind him, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I don't believe it, you know," Harry said suddenly, "Hermione being dead. I don't believe it." A small smile tugged on Remus's lips.

"Good. You shouldn't."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hey everyone! This chapter was once again just focusing on Harry but the next few chapters will be just Hermione. I also wanted to mention that I am sorry that I didn't mention that Harry was Quidditch caption earlier in the story, I just couldn't find a good place to put that fact in until now. I also just wanted to let you all know that this is probably the last chapter I will get out before I go on vacation so I probably won't be able to update for a week or so, but I will try my hardest to get just one more out. I hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you all for your support!**


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah…I still don't own Harry Potter or anything to do with it. J. K. Rowling owns it all.

* * *

><p>He stood in front of the fire, the orange glow from the flames the only light in the large, stone room. The light gave off a slightly eerie glow as it lit up the few pieces of scattered furniture in the room behind him. He was turned away from the door behind him and his red eyes were staying into the fire intently, his pale face glowing from the light in the fireplace. A knock suddenly sounded on the door behind the bald figure but the cloaked figure didn't turn around. If fact, he didn't even move; the only proof to show that he had heard the knock was the silky, yet nauseating, voice that flew out of his mouth.<p>

"Come in."

The door slowly opened with a slight creak from the hinges and another cloaked figure entered the cold room despite the fact that there were flames dancing on burning wood in the fireplace. The second cloaked figure, whose long, blonde (nearly white) hair was hanging in his face, stepped closer to the figure near the fire. His face was slightly glowing with the faint light of the fire, the glow getting brighter as he stepped closer.

The blonde-haired figure dropped to his knees a few arm-lengths from the person staring at the dancing flames licking the wood beneath them. The figure on the floor bowed low to the ground even though the person in front of him wasn't looking; his hair falling like a shield in front of his face.

"My Lord," the cloaked figure on the ground said.

"Ahh…Lucius. To what do I owe this…uninspected visit," the snake-like creature said from his position facing the fire.

"My Lord…We have reason to believe that we have located the girl." A malicious grin slowly spread across his pale lips that were illuminated by the light but his red eyes never left the fire.

"Excellent," he hissed, his smile conveyed in his words. He finally turning around to face the figure crouched on the ground. "You know what to do Lucius." Lucius nodded and got up from the stone floor, brushing his hair from his eyes. He bowed to the figure in front of him and turned on his heel and headed to the doors.

The pale figure finally turned back to the fire, not paying any more attention to the Death Eater that was still in the room, his hand touching the door but making no indication to open it.

"My Lord?" a voice rang out behind him. There was silence for a few moments and the figure near the door took the silence as an allowance to continue.

"Are we still going to kill her?" Lucius said, trying to hold back the excitement in his voice and only letting a little slip through. After a few moments of just the crackling of the fire, his snake-like voice echoed through the room.

"No," Voldemort said, causing Lucius' face to fall a bit, though it went unnoticed. After a few seconds, he finished his thought. "Not yet."

"But…my Lord. I thought-"

"Silence Lucius," he said, closing his eyes even though he could still see the light of the fire from behind his lids, "My goal is still the same, do not worry. Harry Potter will be broken. I just now have a different way of doing it. Now go! We are wasting time. We must get the girl before she escapes us again! I cannot afford this slip-up again!"

"Yes, my Lord," Lucius said, bowing again and backing out of the door, closing it quietly behind his and hurrying off through the dark, empty corridor. Once the door closed, Voldemort chuckled, his laugh echoing throughout the room. His lips curling up in the corners until his teeth were showing, glinting in the light like a knife.

"Hermione Granger…soon we will meet. And soon…," at this he paused and his smile grew even wider (if that was even possible).

"Harry Potter will be broken."

* * *

><p>Hermione leaned forward on her arms, which were hugging her sides, and gazed into the small fire that was in front of her. The small flame flickered, casting a low glow through the cabin and providing a small amount of heat, not that Hermione cared. She was used to the cold air seeping through the walls that surrounded her and she didn't mind it; the cold air felt good on her skin. Her face was lightly lit up by the fire and the scent of smoke filled her nose.<p>

Unconsciously, her hand gripped her wand harder until her knuckles were almost as white as snow and her nail were digging into her palm slightly. She sat there, her eyes never leaving the small, flickering light of the fire as her mind drifted off.

She was surprised, to say the least, that no one had found her. She had waited, and somewhat hoped, that someone would find her. Just to give her the sense that someone was still looking for her, preferably the Order. But they never came. Even the Death Eaters hadn't came yet, which only made her more terrified and made her heart beat faster at the thought of it.

She had no idea what was happening. Did something happen with the horcruxes that made Voldemort focus on something else? Did he find out that Harry was destroying his horcruxes and set out to attack them? That very thought made Hermione nauseous. Was he planning something? It just didn't make sense; they usually found her by now. Pressure began to build behind her eyes and a slight throbbing sensation shot through her head, making Hermione rub her temples and close her eyes.

After about a minute of uselessly massaging her temples, Hermione gave up and opened her eyes, straightening herself up slightly. She looked around the room, her eyes adjusting quickly as her gaze left the bright flame in front of her. Her bag was on the bed and the caldron was sitting next to it; she had set it there once she had cleaned it, which was a few days ago. The flask of the awful potion sat next to her bag, ready to be used once the full moon, which was getting closer, came.

Suddenly, at least six cracks broken through the air and Hermione jump up out of her seat and immediately put the flame out, quickly kneeling on the floor with her wand clenched in hand. After a few silent moments, she slowly crept to the window, the whole action taking at least 30 seconds despite the fact that she was basically a foot away from the window.

Hermione slowed her ragged breathing as much as she could and unconsciously held her breath as she slowly rose just enough to peek out of the window. The only light was from the moon and strips of moonlight fell on the leaf covered floor. Hermione narrowed her eyes as she focused her eyes on the area outside.

And slowly, a shadow crept out of the woods, followed by at least five more, all dressed in black. They all seemed to avoid the strips of moonlight on the floor as they slowly walked closer and closer to the cabin and Hermione found that she was to terrified to make a break for it. All she could do was watch as the first shadow lifted his head in the air slightly and sniffed the air. She could practically hear the air whistling through his nostrils.

She watched as he turned around to nod to the group behind him and Hermione breathed through her nose hard, oxygen finally going into her lungs. But her breath caught in her throat as the scent of the people outside stung her nose and made her feel the need to cough, yet she held it back, causing her eyes to start to tear up.

She recognized one of those scents. They all smelled of stale blood, dirt, raw meat, and dog but one was distinct. Like she had smelled it before. She watched as they all withdrew their wands and turned to face the cabin. The first on turned around after the others and his face hit the moonlight. Those black eyes seemed to bore into her soul and his wolf-like grin made her stomach drop to the floor. She fell back away from the window and flipped around, pushing herself to run even before she could straighten herself out. She just had to get away. She just had to get away from those black, soulless eyes, the same eyes who had stared down at her as his had teeth sunk into her shoulder those many months ago.

She heard them running up to the cabin now, throwing spells at the wooden walls in hopes of slowing her down, but she wouldn't. She blasted the wall opposite the one with the door and she ignored the pieces of wood that flew around her as she jumped out of the cabin and onto the leafy floor, the leaves crunching loudly under her feet.

But she didn't waste any time. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she was off, propelling through the woods and dodging trees and fallen branches. She could hear them after her; she could hear them getting closer. They matched her speed but she found herself getting closer to them. She just pushed harder on the ground, jumping wildly over bushes and propelling off of logs that were on the ground.

The first spell jetted past her, a light blue curse that she didn't recognize and didn't really want to find out what it did. Two more curses flew past her, both different colors, and she heard them wiz past her. Without stopping, she turned around for a slip second and fired two Stunning Spells at her pursuers, both missing but one hitting a tree, making it splinter. She turned around and jumped over a log, the woods now starting to go downhill, and a blood-red curse pasted under her legs, hitting a nearby tree and causing it to explode in a ball of fire.

She sent a curse over her shoulder just as a curse clipped her shoulder, a stinging pain shooting through her shoulder while warm blood slowly spread through her shirt. She gritted her teeth and ignored the uncomfortable sensation as she ran on, dodging and jumping through trees. The moonlight barely shown through the dense trees now but Hermione could thankfully still see the trees rushing towards her.

Branches and twigs sliced through her skin on her face and arms while some got stuck in her hair, but she just kept running and throwing curses and spells blindly behind her back, while a rainbow of curses flew at her, some hitting but mostly missing and hitting a tree instead. A certain curse hit the ground behind her and dirt, grass, and leaves flew in the air, hitting the werewolves behind her as they ran after her. She shot a curse behind her and thankfully heard a thud and a curse as a limp body fell unconscious and another body tripped over the first.

Suddenly, an explosion sounded beside her and she covered her face with her arms as large splinters imbedded themselves into her arms as they flew from a tree, making small beads of blood rise through her skin and start to soak into her torn shirt. She cursed and stumbled but quickly righted herself when suddenly a hand clamped over her arm.

She quickly threw a jinx at the person attached to her arm without a second though and they immediately let go and fell to the ground, his legs jerking around wildly while he threw another curse at Hermione, though his aim was off due to his legs. Hermione turned back to watch where she was going but as soon as she turned back, a curse hit her ankle and she fell to the ground, tumbling and rolling down the hill in the woods.

Once she landed on flat surface, the adrenaline rushing there her blood made her ignorant to her injuries. She didn't waste any time to dig her feet into the ground and push herself up again, dirt and leaves getting kicked up into the air by her feet. Just as she righted herself, a cold hand wrapped itself around her ankle and brought her down hard to the ground, knocking the breath out of her as well as knocking her wand out of her hand.

She blindly kicked at the person holding onto her and an angry grunt sounded behind her, letting her know that she had hit her target. She crawled quickly to her wand, which was about a foot away, and flipped around onto her back only to have her wand pointed at an empty space. Hermione held her wand out, her breathing heavy and a white cloud puffing out of her mouth every second as her chest heaved up and down. She slowly and as quietly as she could, stood up her wand still at the ready.

Then all of a sudden, she was knocked backwards to the ground once again and her arms were roughly pushed against the dirt above of her head. She struggled to get her arms up and to aim her wand at her captor's face but someone else came out and kicked her wand away from her hand roughly. At this, Hermione struggled harder and kicker her legs, making the man on top of her grunt with the effort to contain her. After a few unsuccessful attempts to kick the person on top of her, she felt her legs being pushed down onto the ground and a pair of hands on either leg to keep her from moving. Despite the fact that here were three men holding her down, she continued to wiggle and struggle against them.

"Hold still…you filthy mudblood," the one straddling her torso and arms grunted breathlessly. Hermione didn't say anything; she just spit in his face. This made the person on her release his grip on her arms and wipe his face without even realizing that he had given her the chance to escape. Hermione lifted herself up and shouldered his in his chest with quite a bit of force, making his fall of off her with a grunt. The other two lessened their grip on her legs as they watched and Hermione took this as a chance to kick them away and scramble to her feet.

Just as she got to her feet, a foot came out and kicked her right in the mouth. Hermione immediately tasted blood and fell sideways to the ground. She slowly tried to get to her knees as she clutched her bleeding mouth when the same foot came out and kicked her hard in her side, making her yelp in pain and surprise. She collapsed to the ground again with a groan and a foot came to rest on her back, pushing hard on her spine as the side of her face was forced into the dirt.

"You little bint," a voice growled above her. "Think you're so bloody tough, don't ya? Well look at ya now, you filthy mudblood."

"Go to Hell," Hermione growled, blood still gushing out of her mouth and her side still aching terribly.

"Snappy, aren't we? The Dark Lord will have fun with you. Come on, let's get her tied up. We wouldn't want to keep the Dark Lord waiting anymore," Greyback growled. Hermione heard people walk quickly to her and straddle her, making she immediately started to struggle again. She fought hard against the ropes that they were now tying around her wrists and ankles. She was just about to kick at her captor's when suddenly a foot came out and smashed into her face and she was met with glorious blackness.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I actually got his out quicker than I excepted but who's complaining. I know it's been a while sense I update but I've been away. I know this chapter is also shorter than the previous one but I don't want to add anything else to this chapter. I will hopefully get the next chapter out soon! Bye for now and remember! REVIEW!**


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I'm getting kind of annoyed with these…I don't own Harry Potter or anything to do with its magnificence.

* * *

><p><em>Drip. Drip. Drip.<em>

Hermione's eyes fluttered and she gave a quiet moan as she opened her eyes, only to be met with complete and utter blackness.

_Drip. Drip. Drip._

Hermione slowly tried to move her head to the side, only to send a jolt of sharp pain through her head, making her groan in pain again and wince while she closed her eyes tightly. Her entire body ached terribly and every one of her joints were stiff, like they haven't been used in days. She tried to move again but this only made more pain shoot through her, this time down her spine and throughout her entire body.

_Drip. Drip. Drip._

She slowly tried to lift her head off of the cold, unforgiving ground but only managed to lift her head an inch or two off of the stone floor before black spots dotted her vision. A growl of frustration sounded deep in the back of her throat and she gritted her teeth. With slow movements, she lifted herself off of the floor (with quite a bit of difficulty due to the fact that her hands were tied behind her back) and by the time she was leaning against the slightly wet wall, her breath was ragged with pain and the black dots in her vision were just starting to fade.

_Drip. Drip. Drip._

Her eyes quickly darted to the corner of the musty room, she eyes already adjusted to the pitch black room. Water dripped endlessly to the floor, a small puddle on the ground underneath the leak. The room itself was small and completely bare. It was a square, stone room and Hermione could faintly see cracks in the walls, probably where rats crawled in and out whenever they pleased. There was a door in front of her with a small handle on the left side and there was no window on the door, or in any part of the room for that fact.

Hermione sniffed the stuffy air and her stomach rolled, causing bile to rise in the back of her throat. The air around her was musty and the stench of dirt, urine, blood, and death swam through her nostrils, making her cough and gag. Pain shot through her side as she coughed and she tried to move her arms, making her wince as the rope tied around her wrists rubbed at her already irritated skin.

She growled again as she fought against the ropes, ignoring the burning pain that increased with every movement of her arms. She could slightly feel the blood beginning to roll down her fingers after minutes of fighting her bindings and she finally gave up and sagged against the wall. The dripping of the water continued, making her ears prick up slightly as she licked her cracked lips with her dry and swollen tongue. She was tempted to push herself to the water but decided against it. Instead, she looked back at the wall ahead of her and stared blankly into the blackness.

She wondered how long she had been here; how long it has been sense she was captured. An involuntary shiver ran through her body, along with a jolt of pain as her body moved, when she remembered Greyback's gravelly voice and his black eyes staring at her. She wondered where she was; what would happen to her. Would they kill her? Probably not immediately but there was no doubt that they would kill her eventually. That very though made Hermione's stomach drop and made tears pool at the bottom of her eyes.

She didn't want to think about dying without seeing her friends and teachers once again. She couldn't die without letting them know how much she loved them. Her thoughts moved to Harry and memories of him smiling and laughing raced through her mind, although some of them were hazy around the edges. She couldn't…she wouldn't die without letting him know. Her tears threatened to fall down her face when her thoughts were suddenly jolted away by the sound of footsteps going down stone stairs.

Hermione quickly sniffed and blinked the remainder of her tears away, thankful that none had fallen. She didn't want to show any weakness to anyone. The footsteps were right outside the door know and she heard whoever it was outside her room say an Unlocking Charm and with a small _click_, the door was slowly pushed open with the hinges creaking.

Light fell down on Hermione, making her shut her eyes and flinch away. She heard the figure walk up to her and kicked her roughly in her side making her fall to the ground. Her foot had hit close to the spot where Greyback had kicked in the woods and she groaned in pain and rolled over on the floor, trying to pick herself up again. The figure above her laughed. A cold, heartless that made Hermione's blood run cold and he kicked her again, harder and in the same place where she had just kicked.

"Get up you filthy piece of shit," he growled. Hermione tried to get up again and the person above her growled. Hermione turned her head to the side as much as she could to see the person above her, but she only saw a glint of a metal knife. The person leaned over her and cut through the robe constricting her hands, "accidentally" slipping and making a deep cut on the back of her hand.

"Get up," he growled as he stood up and kicked her again, this time in the thigh. Hermione slowly brought her stiff, numb arms in front of her and pushed herself off the ground a few inches before she felt an impatient hand grab her arm and pull her up, re-opening the wound on her shoulder that she got from the curse during the chase through the woods.

The person grabbed both of her arms and pulled her on her feet. As soon as Hermione was standing, she started to struggle, making the pain in her body flare up. Her muscles felt like stone for sitting for too long but she managed to knock the person off of her. Before she could make a break for the door, the person grabbed her from behind and slammed her against the stone wall, making her head hit the wall hard and stars fill her vision.

Hermione felt a wand dig into her neck, hard enough to probably leave a small bruise. Hermione blinked hard to regain her blurry vision and found herself looking into grey eyes, slightly covered by long, almost white hair. She started to struggle again but instantly stopped as his wand dug deeper into her throat.

"The Dark Lord wishes to see you. I suggest you don't keep him waiting any longer." Before she could even respond, he threw her forward in front of him, making her stumble. As soon as she regained her balance, Lucius immediately pushed his wand into her back and nudged her with it, making her wince as he poked the spot where she was kicked.

Hermione immediately started to walk forward, gritting her teeth as her body, mostly her side, ached terribly. Apparently, her slow pace aggravated Lucius and her grabbed her arm, starting to walk through the small hallway before coming to a staircase. They quickly started up the staircase at an incredibly fast pace and all she could do was to follow him and try not to trip as she tried to match his fast pace, ignoring the pain as much as she could with each step and movement she took. They quickly went up the narrow staircase that started at the end of the hallway that was about 20 feet from the door of her holding cell. The stairs were slightly wet and she went as fast as she could; the only thing that kept her moving was his painfully tight grip on her arm as he basically dragged her up the stairs.

Once the seemingly interminable staircase ended, they were met with a stone door at the top with a small window on it, letting a little light shine through. Lucius quickly opened the door and dragged her through. The room was big and also stone, with two more doors on either side of the room. The room was mostly bare besides the huge fireplace on one wall (the one in front of her). Three black leather couches standing on an ornate rug were in front of the fireplace with a glass table in between all of them and a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the room. A few bookcases and cabinets full of expensive china were standing around the room also. Despite the raging fire, the room was cold and goose bumps appeared on her skin. It was only then that she noticed the cloaked figure standing in front of the fireplace.

Before she could get a closer look at the figure in front of the fire, she was viciously thrown on the hard ground. Her hand went out in front of her and she fell to the floor with a slight "oof!" gaining the attention of the figure in front of the fire. The person turned and Hermione's breath caught in her throat and her blood ran cold. A shiver ran up her spine as her eyes met the hideous red eyes of Voldemort.

As he stared at her frozen on the ground, a smile spread on his face, making Hermione's stomach twist and bile rise in the back of her throat.

"Thank you Lucius," Voldemort said, his silky, nauseating voice penetrating Hermione's eardrums, "You may leave."

"Thank you, My Lord," he said, bowing low before walking to the door on the right, closing it quietly behind him. Hermione looked away from the door and kept her gaze to the ground, too afraid to get up off of her hands and knees. She let her hair fall as a shield in front of her face as she listened to Voldemort's footsteps walking closer to her. Her breathing stopped as he stopped to stand directly in front of her.

"Hermione Granger. Finally, we meet…after so much waiting. Wouldn't you agree," he said sickly, walking around her in a circle like an animal circling his prey. Hermione didn't respond; she just kept her head down and her gaze focused on the floor underneath her.

"Not to friendly, are we now?" Voldemort said, twirling his wand in his hand as he walked, his grin disappearing from his face. Hermione just stared at the ground, her view hidden by her tangled hair. She didn't even see it coming but she heard it, giving her a split-second to prepare for it.

"_Crucio."_

Hermione immediately fell to her side, her arms giving out from under her. It only took a few seconds before a scream tore through her throat. It felt like her flesh was being torn to treads by white-hot knives. It felt like acid was being thrown on every inch of her skin. It felt like lava was running through her veins. It felt like her bones were being broken apart by a hammer. It felt like her transformation, only worse. Everything seemed to disappear around her. The only thing she could think about was the excruciating pain that ran through every inch of her body.

Even though it lasted only about 30 seconds, to Hermione it felt like an eternity. When it finally ended, Hermione was lying on the floor on her back, her breathing ragged and the effects of the curse still sending pain shooting through her body. The sounds finally came rushing back and Hermione opened her eyes quickly when she realized that he was speaking to her again.

"You should really respond when I talk to you, you filthy mudblood," Voldemort hissed, his cloak swaying around his ankles as he walked up to Hermione, staring down at her like she was a piece of dirt on a white carpet.

"Go fuck yourself," Hermione growled in gasps through clenched teeth as she tried to get to her feet, her muscles shaking as she tried to lift herself off the floor. Immediately, the pain seized her again, catching her off guard. She fell to the ground again, landing on her side and rolling over onto her back as the pain made her arch her back, her already sore throat adding to the pain in her body.

When the curse ended again, Hermione was on her side, the sound of Voldemort's cold laughter filling her ears and echoing through the room. She heard him approaching and she desperately tried to get up and somehow managed to get to her hands and knees before his foot connected with her stomach.

She collapsed on her stomach, her arms under her and her face against the cool floor. Voldemort leaned closer to her ear and grabbed her tightly by her hair, bringing her up closer to his face and turning her head so that she was looking at his sideways.

"You should learn to control that mouth of yours, you foolish piece of filth," he hissed, slamming her head back onto the ground before walking a short distance away, his back to her as he looked into the fire.

"You've wasted my precious time, mudblood," he said, his back turned while Hermione tried to get up once again. "So much has been ruined by you. So many plans have failed…and all because of you." He suddenly turned and flicked his wand at her, making Hermione fly into the nearby wall, just missing a china cabinet.

She slid down the wall in a crumpled heap, sharp pain shooting through her torso with every breath; she was actually surprised that she was still conscious. Voldemort slowly made his way to her in slowly, yet long, strides. He picked her up by the front of her shirt and pushed her up not to gently against the wall.

"So much time was wasted," he said his face closer to touching hers and his red eyes so full of hatred, his rancid breath making her eyes water. "It's a pity," he said, throwing him on the ground forcefully behind him and making her land ungracefully on the floor with a dull _thud._

"To waste so much time on a worthless mudblood like you,' he continued, now pacing around her again. "But so crucial to carry out my plan." He continued to prowl around her while she lay there with her face on the ground, not moving an inch.

"And I'm guessing that your Death Eaters losing to an 18 year-old girl about 20 times was part of it," Hermione croaked, her voice wavering slightly and she cursed herself as she let her strong demeanor slip slightly. The pain immediately flared up again as the curse ran through her body, making her body tense up and a scream to once again come out of her mouth. The curse only lasted about 10 seconds but pain kept coursing through her body.

"You need to learn to keep your mouth shut, your bitch."

"And you need to learn about daily hygiene," Hermione retorted, somehow finding the strength to push herself on her knees to look at him. She expected the pain to come back but was utterly surprised to feel his cold hand connect with her face, the smacking sound echoing through the room. Hermione fell sideways on the ground, holding her stinging cheek as she looked up at Voldemort striding towards her.

"Think you're so smart, don't you?" He grabbed her by the hair and slammed her head against the floor, making stars explode in her vision.

"Go to Hell," Hermione hissed, spitting in his face. He stood up abruptly, dragging her by her hair to her feet before throwing her into the wall with a small flick of his wand. She hit the wall sideways and she could almost feel her already cracked ribs breaking fully like twigs, her vision fading to black fully before coming back a second later. She fell to the ground and a groan of pain left her, making Voldemort chuckle.

"Tell me. Do you honestly think that the great Harry Potter will defeat me? He's just a weak, muggle-loving fool. How can he defeat the most powerful wizard alive? How can you put your trust in one boy?"

Hermione gritted her teeth. Rage ran through her and she struggled to get up though she just fell back down on her back after a few attempts.

"If you that powerful, how did you manage to be defeated by a baby?" Hermione asked despite that fact that she was on the ground and vulnerable, smirking as his face contorted his rage.

"CRUCIO!" Her screams echoed through the entire room as she thrashed on the ground, her hands clenched so hard that her nails brought up beads of blood from her palms. The curse kept going for over a minute; Voldemort's laugh mixing in with Hermione's endless screams. When it finally ended, tears were rolling down her cheeks and her muscles were twitching with jolts of pain.

Voldemort laughed and walked over to the wall where Hermione lay. He picked her up by the neck and slammed her against the wall, his hand squeezing her neck, making her breath come out in wheezy gasps.

"I could kill you right now, you know," he said, his eyes narrowing as he held her up to his face, running the tip of his wand down her cheek.

"But you won't," Hermione choked out, her face turning red.

"No, no…Not yet that is."

"And why is that? Are you to afraid that I'll kick your ass like I did to your Death Eaters? Or are you just going to wait till I'm asleep or something?" Voldemort growled and reached into his robe. Before she could even look at what was in his hand, his other hand left his throat and reached for her arm, bringing it above her head with the palm up. But before she could even move, let alone get much needed oxygen into her lungs, he slammed something sharp and metal into her hand with such force that it went through her entire hand and out the other side, going into the wall behind her.

But she knew that this wasn't an ordinary knife. It burned, even though that was an understatement. As soon as the tip touched her skin, an acidly burn went through her hand and through her entire arm. It felt like fire eating her entire arm. It was like someone dumped gasoline on her arm and then lit a match against it. She screamed as the blood started to roll down her arm in red lines. She could actually smell her burning flesh and something else. Some kind of metal.

And then it hit her. Silver. A silver knife was in her hand, burning her flesh like fire. She couldn't even open her eyes. She just wanted to die now. The pain never stopped and she faintly remembered her trying uselessly to tug it out of her hand. Somehow, over she screams and sobs of pain, she heard his cold laughter.

Voldemort reached over and grabbed the handle, twisting the knife, making Hermione scream even louder as the silver knife grinded against the broken bone in her hand and cut threw more of her flesh. He suddenly yanked it out and Hermione collapsed to the floor, weakly holding her bleeding hand to her chest, smearing blood onto her shirt, too weak to even make a noise anymore. It was like the silver zapped all of her energy out of her.

With a malicious grin, Voldemort leaned closer to her face and roughly grabbed it with one hand, forcing her to look into his blood-red eyes. He leaned closer to him, his mouth near her ear.

"I'm going to kill you but not now. No," he said, leaning as closer as he could, his lips now touching her ear.

"I want Harry Potter to watch the light leave your eyes."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: *yawn* Heyy everyone! Even though it's 3 o'clock in the morning, I really wanted to get this out. I hope I fixed all of the mistakes that were in here while I looked it over, but if I didn't, don't get mad. Anyway, I just wanted to thank you all for reviewing and giving me your support. Keep it up! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that has anything to do with Harry Potter and I never will.

* * *

><p>"Harry, are you sure the person was being tortured?" Ron said, making his way through crowds of students, the student not paying attention to the two of them at all, which they didn't mind at all.<p>

"Ron, I saw it with my own eyes. I know what I saw," Harry said, dodging one particular student who was practically plowing through the groups of students, trying to get to his first class of the day.

"And are sure you didn't see the person face?"

"Yes Ron! For the millionth time, I didn't see the person's face," Harry said exasperated. "All I saw was Voldemort with his back to me and a person on the floor." The very thought of his dream made his scar prickle.

"Did you even hear a scream or anything?"

"All I heard was Voldemort's laugh," Harry said, a shiver going down his spine as Voldemort's laugh echoed through his head.

"Well do you think you should tell McGonagall?"

"I suppose so. I can visit her before dinner. All of her classes should be over by then." And with that Ron nodded and their walk became silent as they made their way to the dungeons.

* * *

><p>The door to McGonagall's office slowly opened and Harry poked his head through, standing halfway in the office. He looked around the neat office before stepping in all the way, straining his neck to look all around the office.<p>

"Professor McGonagall?" Harry called out, thinking that she was in her sleeping quarters or some strange secret room.

"Professor McGonagall?" he called out again, taking a few steps away from the door, his brow creased in confusion.

"Professor McGonagall!" Harry huffed in frustration and made his way to leave when a voice sounded behind him, making him jump and turn around quickly with his wand pointed in front of him.

"Harry, my dear boy. To what do I own the pleasure of this visit?" Once Harry saw that it was only Dumbledore's portrait, he released the breath he didn't realize he was holding and put his wand away.

"Sorry, Professor. I was just looking for Professor McGonagall," Harry said sheepishly, cursing himself for being so jumpy.

"Ah do not worry at all Harry. But I hate to inform you that Minerva had to step out for a little. But you do know Harry, that I as well can sometimes be very helpful," Dumbledore said with a small smile, leaning forward in his portrait.

"Well you see Professor, I had a…um…dream last night," Harry said, stepping closer to the portrait of his dead mentor.

"Ahh and what was this dream about Harry?" Harry took a deep breath.

"I was staring at them, Voldemort and the person that is, like I was maybe 10 feet away from them. Voldemort's back was to me but I could see he was torturing someone and…and he was laughing. He was talking to the person I think because I think I could see the person talking back. Then he starting torturing the person again and…and then I woke up," Harry finished lamely.

Dumbledore nodded and stroked his white beard. "And you didn't see the person's face?" Harry shook his head and looked away before looking back quickly.

"Professor, I think Voldemort's planning something. This is basically the first dream that I have had all year and… and I think he actually wanted me to see it."

"Yes, I do believe so Harry," Dumbledore said, still stroking his beard.

"But that's not the thing that scares me the most, Professor." There was a pause as Dumbledore looked down at Harry, who had his gaze pointed to his feet. Harry looked up at Dumbledore and swallowed a lump stuck in his throat.

"What if the person in my dream was Hermione?"

"Harry, we cannot jump to conclusions. We cannot just assume-. "

"But what if he has her! We have to go rescue her! She could be seriously hurt!"

"Harry!" Dumbledore said over his ranting, his voice firm yet gentle. "You cannot just run to Voldemort randomly. You can't run straight into a fight." Harry looked down, a blush creeping up into his face and flashes of the Department of Mysteries popping into his mind.

"But what if he has her Professor?"

"Have a little faith in Miss. Granger, Harry. She is indeed a very clever witch."

"But what if he's had her all this time?"

"I highly doubt that statement Harry. I do believe that Miss. Granger left on her own accord."

"But what makes you so sure?"

"I have my reasons Harry but I do suggest that you should go down to dinner. I believe it should be starting soon. And you do look a little skinnier sense the last time I saw you," Dumbledore said, a gentle smile on his face. Harry nodded.

"Of course Professor. Thank you," Harry said, starting to walk to the door with Dumbledore watching him from his portrait. Just as Harry was about to reach for the doorknob, he turned around to look at Dumbledore again.

"Oh, Professor, about the horcruxes. I just wanted to say-."

"Yes Harry, I know. But at some point in everyone's lives, a little help is greatly needed. And you shouldn't be sorry about that. Now I suggest you get to dinner before all the good food is gone," Dumbledore said. Harry smiled and opened the door, just about to slip through it when Dumbledore spoke again.

"Remember Harry! The storm will always pass, no matter how bad it gets." And with that, Harry could have sworn that the familiar twinkle appeared in Dumbledore painted eyes before he nodded and slipped out of the door.

* * *

><p>Hermione slowly opened her eyes and closed them again, too tired to even move her head. Her back was against the wall, propping her up in a sitting position. Her head was leaning back against the wet wall and her breathing was deep yet also painful every time she sucked oxygen into her lungs.<p>

She had been in this small, dark, damp room ever sense her little "meeting" with Voldemort and by now, she was getting claustrophobic of being locked in here. Her muscles ached to move but she knew if she did, she would just send pain shooting through her.

She guessed that she had only been trapped in here for a few days but that was just a wild guess. For all she knew, she could have been in here a week. But she based her guess on the Death Eaters that came down and gave her meals. She guessed that she got two meals a day, which really surprised her. She didn't expect Voldemort to be that generous, even if the meals only consisted of a small chunk of stale, nearly moldy bread, and a small cup of water in a dirt covered cup.

Every time the Death Eaters came to give her food, they would always give her a good, hearty kick, either on her side or leg, just for the fun of it, she guessed. And to make matter worst, they would always place the food the farthest they could from her, making her have to move and aggravate her healing wounds.

Even though her wounds were healing fast, they still hurt like hell. Her bruises were basically faded and every day, her muscles hurt a little less, though it was barely noticeable. After all, the Cruciatus Curse took a lot out of you. The various cuts she received from both the run in the woods and the confrontation with Voldemort were all together gone, some leaving faint scars that she knew would not last much longer. Her ribs, which she guessed were either cracked or broken, were basically healed, though they did cause a short, brief, sharp kind of pain to go through her chest every time she took a deep breath.

But her hand, her left hand, was the worst. It didn't even look like it had healed at all. The flesh, torn and twisted, around the hole in her hand was burnt and blackened, looking almost like Dumbledore's hand after the horcrux, except the flesh only around the stab wound was black. The wound in the middle of her hand had closer up so there wasn't a hole in the middle of her hand anymore the evidence of the hole was still there. The bones were broken beyond belief though they had started to heal but even then, Hermione didn't even attempt to move it; she just torn a piece of her already torn shirt off and wrapped it around her hand, trying to keep it as clean as she could.

Hermione licked her dry lips and swallowed, wondering when her next meal would come just as her stomach gave a rather large rumble. Hermione blinked a few times and tried to slowly shift in a more comfortable position, due to the fact that she had been leaning against the wall for hours on end.

Immediately, a hiss of pain escaped Hermione's mouth, both of her wrists burning intensely. Ever sense she had woken up after the torture session, silver bounds were around her wrists and they were chains to the wall, keeping Hermione from even moving farther than the door. That was the worst part about having the Death Eaters put her food so far away; that was mostly why she tried not to move so much.

Every time the silver touched her skin, an acidy burn tortured her nerves, burning her skin, making it red and raw. Hermione instantly stopped moving and leaned back against the wall, trying to keep her wrists from touching the cuffs but it was mostly impossible to not touch them at some point. They were loose but not loose enough to really avoid making it touch her skin and Hermione could already feel the blood running out of her wrist due to the fact that the silver touched her skin so much.

All of a sudden, Hermione heard voices and footsteps. Her heart leapt in her throat and her stomach gave a loud rumble at the same time, both scared to death and hoping that it was a Death Eater with food.

But then the footsteps stopped, probably in the hallway before her door. Suddenly, voices rang out and Hermione strained her ears to hear what the Death Eaters were saying. She closed her eyes and focused everything on her hearing.

"So why do we have to stand here anyway," the first Death Eater asked, sounding too young to be a part of Voldemort's ranks. "I mean it's not like she can escape," he continued and Hermione strained her ears even more.

"Oh quit complaining! Do you always have to complain about everything?" the second Death Eater said, his voice a little deeper but still sounding young. The second one was obviously the older and more dominant one though.

"Still I don't see why we have to stand here," the first one complained, his voice slightly whiny.

"You can't question the Dark Lord's reasons. Just do what he asks." Hermione heard an exasperated sigh escape the first Death Eater and a dull_ thwack_ indicated that the older Death Eater had indeed hit the younger one.

"So how long are we gonna have to stand here," the younger one pestered after a few seconds of silence.

"Until we are ordered to leave," the older one growled. They was a long pause between the two.

"Do you know when the mudblood leaves?" the younger one said, apparently a little too loudly because the other Death Eater shushed him.

"Are you daft? Lower your voice!" There was a short pause. "I heard that she's going to go with the Dark Lord to Hogwarts. Apparently, the Dark Lord has a plan to finally end Potter. It's about time I think."

"When is the attack?" the younger one said quietly, so quietly the Hermione could barely hear him, but he definitely sounded excited.

"I have no clue, probably soon though. Now shush and stand there quietly."

Once the conversation ended, Hermione's eyes shot open, her breathing slightly ragged from fear. Her eyes were glassy as she thought about all of her friends and teachers at Hogwarts fighting on the once peaceful ground, unprepared and surprised about the attack. She could just imagine Voldemort sneaking up on them at night while everyone was asleep.

A deep growl suddenly sounded in her throat before she could contain it. She couldn't let that happen, not when she knew it was going to happen; not when she could do something. Her breath caught in her throat and she chocked back a scream as she tried to pick herself up, the silver burning her skin and her muscles screaming. She fought back hot tears as she pushed herself up, forgetting all about her injured hand and making the tears finally fall as pressure was put against her left hand, mixing with the pain from her wrists, ribs, and muscles.

She fell against the wall, her legs crumpled beneath her as she held her hand to her chest. But she didn't give up. It took her nearly five times before one giant push lifted her off the ground and she rose unsteady to her feet, nearly falling over before she unknowingly grabbed a hold of the silver chain that connected her to the wall. With a short, quick yelp she released her hand and looked at the pink skin on the inside of her hand, thankful that she only held on for a second or so.

She quickly looked to the door, her jaw clenched and her head spinning and pounding. After she was certain that no one had heard the commotion that she caused just to get up off the floor, she looked back at the chains, fear and doubt bubbling up inside her. She swallowed hard and looked down, a determined look set hard on her face. Her hands were at her side and blood was dripping off her fingers from her wrists and her hand wound, which had been aggravated in the many attempts to stand.

Hermione gritted her teeth hard and bit her lip. With one hard tug, her bounds hit against her skin and she nearly screamed in pain, squeezing her eyes together hard. She tugged and pulled against the chains but they held. Tears fell hard and a sob escaped her clenched teeth as the blood fell from her burning wrist, the smell of her burning flesh starting to reach her nose.

She tugged and tugged, the taste of blood now in her mouth from biting her tongue to hard. After a few minutes of useless tugging and pulling against her restraints, she stopped and leaned against the wall, her wrists so painful that black spots appeared in her vision. She took deep breath, not even noticing the short pain that went through her chest.

She clenched her teeth again and stood up again, swaying slightly. The thought of Hogwarts flashed though her mind and anger bubbled to the surface at the thought of Voldemort killing all of her friends. With a growl much like a wild, caged animal, she practically threw herself forward, struggling to break the chains, blocking out as much pain as she could. After all, she would rather have this pain then have her friends be dead.

Suddenly, Hermione lose her balance and almost fell to the floor but managed to catch herself just in time. She was now standing sideways with only one arm still connected to the wall by the evil silver chains. She brought her left hand in front of her, the torn piece of shirt now soaked in blood.

She looked at the chain that still dangled from her wrist. The cuff around her wrist was still there as well and it seemed that the chain broke in the middle, due to the fact that a small part was hanging from Hermione's wrist and the other side was hanging limply against the wall. Hermione looked over at the door to make sure no one had heard her this time and then looked back.

She tugged her right arm out and held the chain to its maximum length. It only took one well placed kick to break it, only leaving a few links from the chain hanging from her wrist.

She didn't waste any time. As soon as she was free from the chains, she immediately ran to the door. She held her ear against it and after a few seconds of silence, she removed her ear and grabbed the knob, smearing blood against the door. Apparently, and to Hermione's joy, the idiot Death Eater who last entered her cell didn't lock the door. Or maybe they didn't because they didn't think that she would escape. On that thought, Hermione smiled and opened the door as quietly as possible, remembering that there were Death Eaters in the hall.

She poked her head out of the door and eyes the pair of young Death Eaters standing in the middle of the hall, one of them leaning against the wall looking ahead of him while the other stood there with his arms crossed. Both looked relatively short statured but that could be just because they were young and still growing. She made sure that they were both not looking and then slowly slipped through the small opening in front of her, avoiding hitting her wrists against the edge of the door or wall.

She stopped once she got outside the door, looking at the pair of Death Eaters ahead of her and holding her breath. Slowly, she brought her foot forward and placed it quietly on the ground, leaning forward with painful slowness. Literally, the slow movements were just aggravating her muscles even more but she just clenched her teeth and took another step, careful not to make a sound.

All of a sudden, the Death Eater leaning against the wall moved and Hermione froze, her already pale face paling even more, making her look like her skin was made of paper. Her blood ran cold as she watched the Death Eater move off the wall and stand straight ahead, not even looking back once. _These Death Eaters are more stupid then I though_, she thought to herself, unconsciously letting a tiny, almost soundless, breath of relief out.

She quickly regained focus though and started creeping forward again. Painfully slow step after painfully slow step, Hermione closed the short distance between her and the young pair. Hermione held her breath and took a step, preparing to take out the first Death Eater with a good smash of the head to the wall.

Just as she rose her hand to grab his head and force it into the wall, her foot moved to the side, creating a soft scuffing noise but nonetheless, it caught both of the Death Eater's attention. Both Death Eaters turned around and sent a curse, the wands almost hitting her as she dove to the ground just as two yellow curses flew above, hitting the door which she had just escaped from.

Hermione quickly swung her legs around, catching one of the Death Eaters in the shins and causing him to fall to the ground, dropping his wand. Just as she was scrambling to her feet, the other Death Eater grabbed her shirt and forced her up against the wall but she aimed a well placed kick in his "special spot" and he fell to the ground, bent over in pain. The Death Eater that she had knocked to the ground first was scrambling to his wand but a well aimed kick to the head made him cease to move, his hand only inches away from the wooden stick.

Hermione quickly scrambled to the wand and turned around only to have a fist come out of nowhere and catch her in her cheek, slitting her lip. Hermione fell sideways, dropping the wand in her hand. Once on the floor, she felt a foot press down hard on her sternum. She looked up to see a furious Death Eater above her, breathing heavily and slightly shaggy brown hair falling in his eyes, with his wand pointed straight at her face.

"Let's get you back in your cell now, shall we?" the Death Eater spoke. He opened his mouth again, probably to say a curse, but that Hermione would never know. Just as his mouth opened, Hermione grabbed his ankle and twisted it around. A sharp yelp of surprise and pain echoed through the hall as he fell on his back, his wand dropping out of his hand and rolling to the beginning of the staircase.

As soon as he hit the ground, Hermione lunged and grabbed the wand she had originally had and before the still conscious Death Eater could move, a Stunner shot out of the tip of the wand and hit him, rendering him unconscious.

Hermione, who was breathing heavily, stared at the two unconscious forms on the ground and guilt welled up inside her before she quickly pushed it down, knowing that this was not the right time. She quickly grabbed the other wand near the staircase, now holding both wands in her right hand. With only one thought in mind, she spun around only to fall onto the floor. She cursed loudly as she now knew that Anti-Apparation Wards were up and she stood up, knowing that she would now have to find a new way out. As quickly as possible, she raced up the stairs, ignoring the burning in her muscles and trying to ignore the agonizing pain in her wrists and hand.

Once she got to the top of the stairs, she stopped and put her ear to the door, trying to hear if anyone was in the next room. After a few minutes, she straightened up and grabbed the handle of the door, pushing it slowly and cursing silently as it didn't move. What she didn't understand is how they remembered to lock this one and not her cell door. Not that she was complaining or anything; she would just never understand how stupid these Death Eaters could get.

She shook her head and focused on the task at hand. She quickly performed a silent Unlocking Charm and smiled when a small _click_ indicated that the door was now indeed unlocked. She took a deep breath and, after confirming that there was still no one there, she swung the door open fast, now confident as she now had a wand, well…two to be exact. But she was only met with an empty room as she burst out of the door with the wands pointed before her.

She looked around the room. The fire was now a dead pile of ashes and apparently, they had cleaned up from the little session she had had with Voldemort. But she quickly looked away, not bothering to waste any more time at looking around the room. She quickly went to the first door she saw, which was a door on her left and she waited a half-a-second before opening it.

The door lead her to a long, wide corridor, which was thankfully empty. The hallway was as equally dark as the room behind her and her cell. A few portraits with black borders were hanging up on the walls and tables with fancy vases on them were pushed to the sides of the corridor.

Hermione tore her eyes away from the decorations in the corridor and at a fast pace, she made her way cautiously down the long corridor with her wand ready and multiple spells on her tongue, just waiting to be spoken. Ahead of her, the corridor turned to the right and Hermione quickly backed into the wall, looking around the corner to see if anyone was there.

As soon as she saw that the corridor was empty, she started to move again, this time at a faster and more desperate pace. She practically ran down the corridor, looking for any way to escape. She ran past torch after torch that hung on the wall, being the only thing that provided her light.

She quickly turned another corner after confirming that no one was there. This time, there were stairs going both up and down at the end of the corridor. She ran to the stairs and before she could even think about it, she was practically jumping down the stairs, skipping two or three at a time. She jumped down the last five, landing in a crouching position before springing up again and looking around.

She didn't really pay attention to her dark, gloomy corridor before her because her eyes were only focused on the window on the wall in the middle of the corridor. She quickly ran to it and put the wands down, grabbing the bottom of it and pushing up with one hand. A growl sounded in the back of her throat as the window wouldn't budge. She pushed up harder with her right hand. After a few minutes of pushing it up with all of her strength, a crack sounded and the window slide open, the top of the window cracked terribly.

She didn't waste any time to even think about the fact that she probably should have unlocked it first, she just grabbed the wands and climbed out, rolling on the soft, green ground. As soon as she was out, she got up and looked around. A black metal gate surrounded the entire place, most likely Voldemort's hideout. She was standing at the side of the building and now that she looked at it, she saw that was place was huge. She evidentially only ran through a small part of it.

She looked away from the building behind her and pointed her wand at her wrist, the silver wrapped around her wrist falling to the ground. Once both of her wrists were free of the awful metal, the acidy, agonizing burn had left but a low grade burning still remained. Her skin was melted and burnt off and blood, both fresh and dried, coated her hands and wrists, a few streams running down her arm.

She quickly touched the tip of her wand and a soft, blue light wrapped around her wrist. Once it disappeared, the red, melted skin was somewhat healed, looking like the wound around her wrist had closed up a bit. She did the same to the other wrist and then to her hand. After she had healed herself slightly, not bothering to heal anything else, she pointed her wand at the gate and watched as the metal melted and a hole appeared.

She quickly escaped through the hole and was immediately engulfed by bare trees. Leaves coated the ground like a blanket and she just noticed that her breath came out in white puffs, her mind just realizing that the air was biting her skin like small teeth. She stood there breathing heavily on the leaf covered ground, staring in front of her. The thought of Hogwarts came to her mind again and she gripped the wands tight in her right hand, her left flexing a little. And with a determined glance, Hermione took off through the trees, the leaves getting kicked into the air as she took off, running as fast as she could.

* * *

><p>A pale hand reached out and ran down the smooth scales of the giant snake sitting next to him. He sat in a chair, the room dark and bare, with not even a fire to provide a little light. His thoughts turned back to the attack that would soon happen and he smiled evilly.<p>

He looked over at the snake next to him and the snake looked back at his, her tongue flicking out and a hiss sounding from her.

"_Yesss Nagini. It will happen soon. In a couple days, the Boy-Who-Lived will be dead and we will rule_," Voldemort said, only his words came out in a series of hisses. Nagini hissed back, her tongue flicking out and she turned and slithered away, coiling up the nearest corner.

All of a sudden, a knock sounded in front of him and Voldemort looked at the doors.

"Come in," he spoke. The doors slowly opened and a short, watery eyed man walked slowly in, nearly trembling in fear.

"My…my Lord," he said, kneeling in front of Voldemort and bowing low.

"What is it Wormtail?" Voldemort hissed impatiently.

"M…my Lord," Wormtail stuttered, "th…the prisoner ha…has escaped."

"WHAT!" Voldemort screamed, standing up from his seat, his robes flowing around him. The air seemed to crackle as Voldemort looked at the pathetic Death Eater in front of him .

"P…please My Lord," Wormtail started, cringing back slightly, his watery eyes looking at Voldemort warily.

"_Crucio." _Immediately,Wormtail's screams echoed through the room as he fell over in pain and withered on the ground. Once Voldemort stopped the curse, he looked at Wormtail trying to get up, sniffing slightly.

"How did she escape?" he demanded, starting to pace, his strides forceful and reflecting the anger he was feeling.

"She…she escaped her cell and knocked the two guards unconscious, my Lord. Then she ran off. We don't know how she got off the grounds."

"Why wasn't someone patrolling," Voldemort demanded.

"My…my Lord, we…we didn't know we had too," Wormtail stuttered.

"_Crucio!_" Wormtail fell to the ground again screaming but this curse only lasted for a few seconds before Voldemort stopped it.

"Go tell Lucius to gather the troops. We are paying Hogwarts an early visit."

"But…but how do you know she went there my...my Lord?"

"DON'T QUESTION ME WORMTAIL! JUST DO AS YOUR ASKED AND GO!" he roared and watched in satisfaction as Wormtail scurried up from the floor, positively trembling, and all but ran out the door, shutting it behind him. Voldemort looked over at his snake, who was now staring at him in interest.

"_Come Nagini,"_ he said as the snake slithered to him, "_We have a prophecy to fulfill. Tonight…Harry Potter will die."_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I hope you all enjoyed it! Please review and let me know what you think! I want to reach 100 reviews before this story is completed!**


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: Plain and simple…I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

><p>Trees flew by her, their branches whipping her face, neck, and arms. Twigs and what leaves were left on the branches got stuck in her hair but she just ignored it and kept on running, dodging trees and jumping over fallen branches and logs whenever necessary.<p>

Her muscles burned and ached with each step she took but she never slowed her pace. She just focused on forcing herself to put on foot in front of the other. The cold air hit her face and a strong wind made her torn and bloody clothes flap around her. Her lungs and still healing ribs ached with every breath she sucked in and her body hurt more with every step.

Her wrists and hand burned as the cold wind irritated her wounds even more and she wished that she knew more powerful and effective healing spells. Her breath came out in ragged pants and white puffs appeared in front of her face every second. Her throat was raw and scratchy from the cold air and her lips were cracked and split.

But she kept on running.

She ran past tree after tree through the seemingly endless forest. She knew the Death Eaters would figure out that she had escaped. They probably already knew that she wasn't in her cell. And she honestly felt sorry for whatever Death Eater had to tell Voldemort that she was gone. But then again, she guessed that the Death Eater would probably be Wormtail and if that was the case, she figured that she really didn't feel that bad about it.

But she knew that the Death Eaters would be on her tail soon if they weren't already and that very thought made her run faster. Grey clouds rolled over her and the wind picked up again, making her hair fly around her. A twig swiped at her cheek and she felt her skin rip open, making blood bubble out.

She ducked a particularly low branch and straightened up again, noticing that the trees seemed to end up ahead. She wiped some blood off of her face and ran faster. She could make out something ahead of her, like a building or something but she wasn't sure. As she neared the end of the trees, she was sure that it was a building and through the slits in between the other trees, she thought that she could make out the outlines of other buildings.

Just as she was about to exit the forest, her foot got caught on a fallen tree and she stumbled. Her hands flew out in front of her and she nearly screamed as her hand hit the hard pavement. Her pants tore at the knees and her skin was ripped apart on the scratchy surface. Her breath got knocked out of her lungs and she fell to the ground with a sharp yelp.

Hermione rolled on her side and clutched her throbbing and burning hand to her chest, fighting tears as she look up. She struggled up to her feet as thunder sounded in the distance. She looked at the building in front of her. The back of it was bare and from the back, she had no idea what it was.

But she didn't think about it long, knowing that it didn't really matter if she knew what store it was or not. She clenched her jaw and let her hand fall beside her. She walk cautiously ahead of her, having no clue where she was going; she was just hoping that luck was on her side.

Once she reached the end of the line of buildings, she saw the familiar trail and her heart almost stopped. Her breath froze in her throat and she slowly walked out from behind the buildings.

She looked at all of the familiar stores and she swallowed hard. Hogsmeade was deserted. The stores were empty besides the people working there but then again she wasn't even sure if some of the stores were open. She edged forward a bit and she smiled a little when she saw the familiar signs. She stood there and stared at the small village for longer than she should have, just taking in the sights of it all.

She shook her head, shaking herself from her thought. She looked away and up the trail. She would have to hurry. She looked away from the trail and gazed at the tall, monstrous castle in the distance. As she looked at the castle, she felt her eyes burn. She would finally be going home. And with that, she looked around to make sure no one saw her and she started to run again.

* * *

><p>Harry walked from McGonagall's office, Dumbledore's conversation still fresh in his mind. He walked in silence through the empty corridor, assuming that everyone was on their way to the Great Hall or was already there. He checked his watch and found out that dinner had only started a few minutes ago but even then, he kept his leisurely pace.<p>

He walked past portraits and down the staircases leading to the Great Hall. When he was half-way down on of the moving staircases (though it was still at the moment) a shout sounded from behind him.

"Harry! Wait up!" Harry turned to see Ron walking down the stairs at a fast pace. Harry stopped and waited for him to catch up before he started to walk down the staircase again.

"So what did McGonagall have to say?" Ron asked as they turned to go down another staircase.

"McGonagall wasn't there," Harry said curtly, looking down at his feet.

"Then what took you so long?"

"I talked to Dumbledore."

"And what did he say?" Ron pressed.

"He thinks that Voldemort is planning something but I did tell him about how I though the person in my dreams was…you know…Hermione. He doesn't believe that though."

"Well maybe you should listen to him, mate," Ron said. Harry sighed.

"Yeah. Maybe I should." They walked together through the door to the Great Hall and took a seat in between Neville and Dean with Ginny sitting in front of them. Seamus was talking to Lavender beside Ginny, his voice adding to the noise in the Great Hall. The animated chatter and laughter made Harry's heads throb painfully and he slouched forward in his seat, making Ron and Ginny both look at him with concern.

"Harry? You should probably eat something," Ginny said after a few minutes as she leaned forward slightly. Harry sighed and reached forward, taking a piece of roast and plopping it on his plate. He knew better than to put up a fight.

He took a bite and looked up at Ginny expectantly as he chewed. Ginny just gave him a smile and nodded before turning away to talk to Seamus, who had stopped talking to Lavender by now.

Harry swallowed hard and sighed, glancing at Ron and Neville talking beside him. He took another bite of his bland food and sighed again. Even though he was surrounded by his friends, he had never felt lonelier.

* * *

><p>Hermione's feet pounded against the frozen ground faster than before, her eyes only focused on the giant castle before her. The castle was still far away but it was getting closer with every step and that exact though kept Hermione's feet going. Her heart was racing faster then what should be possible and she could hear the blood pounding in her ears.<p>

The grey clouds were rolling overhead and she could smell the promise of rain in the cold air. She checked behind her as she ran, just waiting for the moment where she looked back and saw a swarm of Death Eaters running after her. Hogsmeade was far behind her but she could still see the small, deserted village.

She clutched the two wands in her hand as she ran. Thunder sounded again in the distance and she felt a few small drops of water fall down from the angry looking clouds above her. She just ran on as the drops of rain started to fall a little harder. She didn't feel the rain hit her; she was numb to it all. To the cold; to the rain. All she focused on was the tall, gigantic castle and her footsteps.

_Right. Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. _

She could now see the Womping Willow, still bare and shaking occasionally as it tried to get rid of the water on it. The Quidditch field was it view as well and she could see the flags flapping wildly as the wind blew around them. No smoke was rising from Hagrid's hut and she guessed that it was probably dinner and that no one was out on the grounds.

She stopped once she reached the gates of Hogwarts. She looked at the black metal bars before looking up. They were about 10 feet high from her estimations and she knew that there would be wards on the gates preventing her from unlocking them with a simple spell. And if she blew it up, she would make it easy for Voldemort.

She lowered her head and cursed under her breath. She looked up again at the top of the gates and sighed. If she couldn't get in with magic, then maybe she could get in the Muggle way. It was worth a shot and she needed to move.

She grabbed a bar with her right hand and wrapped her left arm around another bar and heaved herself up, the wands in between her teeth since she had no hands free and her pockets were torn and useless. She looked behind her and once she saw that there was no one behind her, she heaved herself up more. Even through the adrenaline, her muscles shook with the effort of pulling herself up but she didn't stop, even when she banged her hand against the bars.

Once she got to the top, she stung her legs over and without hesitation; she pushed off the top and fell through the air. As soon as she left the top, for a split second, the air seemed to shift around her. But as soon as it came it went and she fell. Even though the fall wasn't extremely high, it seemed to last an eternity as she fell to the ground.

As soon as her feet touched the ground, she propelled off of the ground, ignoring the pain that shot through her muscles from the impact. She stumbled forward but quickly regained her control.

An explosion sounded behind her and she stopped and turned around. In the distance, she saw explosions of fire in the village she had just been in. Her eyes widened as she watched the buildings that had once been a big part of her life explode and crumble as groups of cloaked figures swarmed the village. She could hear the screams from the civilians that still resided in the small village and the laughter of the Death Eaters destroying it. The very sound made her want to vomit.

She swallowed the bile that had rose in her throat and tore her eyes away from the burning village and back to the castle that stood tall in front of her, filled with oblivious witches and wizards. She glanced back at the village and even more panic ran through her. Time was running out.

She ran forward, passing Hagrid's hut and the Womping Willow, who was twisting and turning. She gripped the wands harder in her hands. She needed to warn them but no matter how fast she ran, she didn't feel like it was fast enough.

She rose her arm and pointed her wand at the front doors of Hogwarts, which were still too far away. Both wands were clenched in hand and a bright light formed on both tips as her words met the cold air.

"Expecto Patronum!"

* * *

><p>Harry leaned his cheek against his fist, moving his half-eaten roast around on his plate. He sighed and ignored all of the concerned look that were thrown his way. He wasn't paying attention to anything around him; his mind was focused entirely on the conversation he had with Dumbledore.<p>

He was quite relieved that Dumbledore wasn't angry with him about the horcruxes but then again, he didn't really think that Dumbledore would get angry. Then his thought went to their conversation about his dream. Dumbledore didn't really seem that concerned about Hermione, which confused him greatly.

Maybe he knew something about her. Maybe the Order had found out something and didn't tell him. It wouldn't be the first time that they had kept something from him but he didn't think that they would keep something that big from him. After all, it was Hermione they were talking about.

And he was worried. Even Dumbledore thought that Voldemort was up to something. But the question was when he would strike. It was excruciating to just wait around and wait for something to happen. As much as he wanted to go out and find Hermione and find out what Voldemort was up to, he knew he couldn't just abandon everyone here.

Suddenly, a searing pain shot through his scar and he dropped his fork with a clatter as his hand flew up to cover his burning mark. The people around him instantly stopped what they were doing and focused all of their attention on him.

Their voices were coated with concern and worry as they tried to get his attention. From the teachers table, some of the professors had noticed what was going on at the Gryffindor table and they had started to stand up from their seats, their dinner the last thing on their mind.

Harry breathed deeply as the pain started to recede and he swallowed hard as he looked up, his vision blurry and his ears felt like they were full of water.

"Harry? Harry! All you okay? Harry!" Harry's hearing cleared as he felt someone shaking him and he blinked hard, realizing that Ron was looking at his with concern in his blue eyes. Harry rubbed his scar, which was still tingling, and he sat up straighter in his seat, surprised to find out that he wasn't lying on the ground like he usually was.

"It was Voldemort," Harry said breathlessly, looking at Ron, "he's happy or…or angry about something. Something's happening."

"Well what do we do?" Ginny said.

"We need to tell McGonagall," Harry said.

"What's going on Harry?" Neville cut in, looking worried.

"I'm hoping nothing Neville," Harry said as he stood up. People looked at him curiously and some looked at him with worry as they knew that something was wrong but their gaze was immediately redirected when a gasp sounded in the hall.

One by one, the students looked at the direction where the gasp came from and each person was silenced. In only a few seconds, the entire Great Hall was silent and they watched as the silver-blue otter floated and glided around the room.

Harry watched the otter glided through the air. The patronus was brighter than Harry remembered but his eyes widened as he watched it swim gracefully through the air. But there was a sense of urgency in its glide and that made itself made Harry forget about his prickling scar.

The otter glided over the Ravenclaw table and twisted in the air, gliding towards the Gryffindor table. It swam over wide-eyed students and directly towards Harry. It twisted around him and Harry followed its every movement, turning his heads to follow it before it disappeared in front of him, dissolving in the air.

He looked up and found that he was the only on standing as everyone stared at him. A loud bang brought everyone's attention to the Great Hall doors, which had created the loud bang as they slammed open. Harry looked over. His heart nearly stopped and his breath caught in his throat.

It was because in the doorway, stood Hermione.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I feel like an awful person for ending it this way. But please don't hate me! I had to add suspense somehow. And I realize that they way Hermione climbed the gates was a little unrealistic but I had to get her past them somehow. And I know that this is a short chapter but I didn't want to add anything else. Anyways I should stop rambling now. Remember! Review!**


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and I sadly never will.

* * *

><p>The entire Great Hall was frozen, their eyes on the figure in the doorway. Harry's eyes were wide, as were everyone else's, and he stood frozen, his heartbeat audible in his ears. She looked thin and tired. Her pale skin made the dark circles under her eyes stand out and her hair was matted and tangled with dirt and blood. Her locks were wet from rain and some pieces were plastered to her face.<p>

Her clothes were torn and ripped apart and the splatters and stains of blood, both fresh and dried, were vibrant against her skin. Scratches scattered her face and arms but that wasn't what made Harry want to vomit.

Her wrists and hand, coated in thick blood, were what made his stomach flip. The skin looked practically melted off. Her wrists were burnt basically to the bone and it looked like they had started to heal but had ripped open again. There was a slight black tint to the skin and the wound looked raw and around it was an angry red color.

But her hand was even worse. It looked dead, much like Dumbledore's hand when he had tried to destroy the ring. The hole in the middle of her hand looked like it had closed slightly but the skin was absolutely dead, the flesh torn and ripped to shreds. Dried blood covered her hand and there were streams of crusted blood on her arm.

He locked eyes with her and a warm sensation spread through his chest. Her eyes were still the same chocolate brown they had been. Slowly, as though he was trying to move without making any noise, he lifted his leg and swung it over the bench, his eyes not moving from Hermione as she watched him.

She watched him swing both legs over the bench, completely oblivious that the entire hall was watching them or that Ron and Ginny, as well as some of the other Gryffindors, were slowly standing as well. He looked thinner to her and more tired. To her, he looked much too old for a 17-year-old but he was still that same old Harry. His robes hung a little looser but his hair was the same messy locks they always were. And his eyes were still the same brilliant, emerald-green eyes that always made her heart stop.

He stepped forward and Hermione found her own feet moving as well. Their eyes never wavered from each other as they walked forward and Hermione felt her tears prick in her eyes as they met in the middle.

His eyes searched hers for what felt like eternity, green meeting brown. Suddenly, he pulled her to him with strong arms and hugged her hard; giving her a bone-crushing hug that even Mrs. Weasley couldn't beat. He hugged her to him despite her wet, blood covered clothes and she hugged back just as hard, ignoring the burning pain her wounds gave off as they rubbed against his uniform.

"Is it really you?" Harry whispered disbelievingly. Hermione nodded, her hair tickling his face and she smiled, tears gathering at the bottom of her eyes.

"Yeah," she said her voice hoarse. She pulled back slightly and looked into his brilliant green eyes, her eyes shining and her lips curving up into a small smile – a smile that reached her eyes. "It's really me Harry."

Harry smiled and looked down at her bloody clothes, his face scrunching up in concern. "Hermione, you're hurt," he said, worry lacing his voice.

Hermione opened her mouth to respond but before they could do anything else, Harry was pushed away and someone wrapped their arms around Hermione tightly, long red hair filling her vision. Hermione immediately wrapped her arms around the youngest Weasley and after about 30 seconds, Ginny backed away smiling with tears shining in her brown eyes.

"Gin, stop hogging her," a familiar voice joked. Ron walked around Ginny and Hermione looked up at him, just realized that there was a crowd of people surrounding her. He smiled down at her and her wrapped her in a warm, brotherly embrace.

"I'm so glad your back Hermione," Ron whispered in her ear. They both pulled away.

"I'm glad to be back," Hermione spoke softly. Hermione turned to look at the group around her and the next thing she knew, she was engulfed in hugs and tear and warm words of welcome. But the crowd was soon broken up by McGonagall, Moody, and Tonks, who had finally plowed through enough of the crowd to reach the cause of it.

Moody immediately pushed a few people away, which happened to be Ron, Harry, Ginny, and Seamus, who had just given Hermione a brief yet friendly hug. Moody whipped out his wand, pointing at Hermione's face, both eyes focused entirely on her.

"Moody! What are you doing?" McGonagall cried, the Great Hall now silent while all of the students in the crowd watched as Hermione slowly raised her hands up to her shoulder level. Moody's eye flickered to the wands in her hand and she dropped then with a clatter, which echoed through the hall.

"How do we know it really is Granger," Moody growled his eye narrowing.

"I casted the patronus, didn't I? And I do believe that my patronus is indeed an otter," Hermione hissed in between clenched teeth, now annoyed more than anything else. Moody opened his mouth to say something else but Tonks came up and yanked his wand out of his hand, giving Hermione a smile before turning back to Moody. She gave him his wands back and he hesitated but after a few seconds, he backed up and leaned on his walking stick, his electric-blue eye still staring at Hermione.

Harry put his hand on Hermione's arm and she relaxed and put her arms down. She saw that Ron had picked up her two wands and she silently thanked him as he handed them back after he examined them for a few seconds. Hermione turned back to McGonagall and the others. She saw now that all of the other teachers had managed to find a way to push through the crowd as well and they were now standing behind McGonagall.

"Now Miss. Granger," McGonagall said, now looking at Hermione. "Oh my…" she whispered as her eyes grew wide as she finally saw how awful her wrists and hand were. "Mr. Potter, would you please escort Miss. Granger to the Hospital Wing. Mr. Weasley, you may go as well."

"Come one Hermione," Harry whispered gently after nodding to McGonagall. He grabbed her upper arm lightly, tugging on her to move toward the door. Hermione brushed him off lightly and shook her head, her eyes closed and her head bent down to the floor. She looked back up at McGonagall.

"No. There's no time for that. We have to evacuate the castle," She said firmly.

"Miss. Granger, your injured. You need to go to the Hospital Wing immediately. There is no need to evacuate the castle," McGonagall said.

"No, no. You don't understand," Hermione said, shaking her head. "They are coming. Voldemort's coming." Her voice echoed through the hall and collective gasps sounded once _his_ name came out of her mouth. The younger students as well as the older students immediately began to talk, their voices laced with fear, and a few younger ones began to cry. People began to rise from their seats and take out their wands, which scared the younger ones even more. Hermione also noticed that Harry's skin became almost a sickly pale color and Ron's and Ginny's freckles were more prominent on their faces.

Through all of the noise and commotion, McGonagall's voice sounded.

"Enough!"

Everyone stopped immediately at the sound of their angry Headmistress and all of the younger student's crying became a quiet sniffling. McGonagall lowered her wand after cancelling the spell and looked at Hermione, her mouth a thin line and her face a little paler.

"Miss. Granger, you cannot just come in here and announce that the castle is going to be attacked."

"Minerva's right Granger," Moody said, "you can't just go missing then come waltzing in here months later telling us that You-Know-Who's coming."

"No! You have to listen to me! They're coming! They destroyed Hogsmeade! They're coming here! You have to listen to me!" Hermione said desperately.

"Mr. Potter, please escort Miss. Granger to the Hospital Wing. Once you are healed, we will discuss this matter." McGonagall said, ignoring what Hermione had just said. Harry made no move towards Hermione; he just blinked and gripped his wand tighter.

"Professor, maybe we should listen to her," Ron said and Harry nodded. McGonagall shook her head and opened her thin lipped mouth to speak again but an animalistic growl sounded deep in Hermione's chest as she watched the Headmistress shake her head, causing everyone to look at her.

"You don't get it do you? You have to evacuate the castle or people are going to die," Hermione growled, her voice dangerously low as she looked at her Professor from under her eyebrows. McGonagall opened her mouth but Hermione continued.

"They are coming. I saw them. I heard their plan. I know what they're going to do. You have to believe me," she said, her voice changing to a pleading tone at the end of her sentence. Her thoughts flickered to the horcruxes and she spoke again, her voice desperate.

"We have to get out of here."

Suddenly, a loud explosion sounded outside, drowning out the end of her sentence, and the noise echoed through the hall, making it seem as though it shook the entire castle. Hermione jumped, as did most people, and gripped the wands in her hand. She quickly, and silently, mended her pocket and slipped one of the wands in the newly mended pocket while the other one stayed in her fist.

She looked around and saw everyone had their wands out, looking around the room. She glanced at McGonagall with a look as if to say "I wished you would have believed me" but quickly turned away when another explosion sounded, which sounded louder due to the fact that the entire castle was now silent and frozen in shock and fear.

Lumbering footsteps sounded suddenly as the explosion ended and everyone turned and pointed their wands at the entrance of the Great Hall doors. They all lowered their wands when they saw it was only Hagrid, who was breathing heavily.

_I guess he was in his hut,_ Hermione thought, surprised that he hadn't seen her when she had ran past it. She silently wished that he had seen her when she was at the gate…it would have saved her a lot of trouble and time. But she was quickly broken out of her thought by Hagrid's booming voice.

"Death Eaters…trying…to break…the wards. _He_'s here."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I hope I didn't make you wait to long; I wrote this as fast as I could. I know it's short to but the next chapters will be pretty long as of right now. We're winding down here! Only three chapters left. *Wipes tear away* It's so sad, I know but I hope you enjoy this chapter! **


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: I will never own Harry Potter sadly enough.

* * *

><p>Everyone looked at the half-giant, who was just starting to catch his breath, frozen in place, like they were trying to figure out what Hagrid had just said. Just then, another explosion sounded outside and the sound seemed to be the hammer that broke their frozen stances.<p>

As soon as the explosion sounded, people screamed and most of the younger students started to sob uncontrollably, not fully grasping what was going on but knowing that something bad was happening. The people that were still sitting started to stand from their seats and the teachers and someone of the older students started to try to gain control of the frightened students, even though they were more than terrified themselves.

"Silence!" McGonagall screamed, her voice echoing through the Great Hall yet it hardly had any effect.

"SILENCE!" she boomed again and this time, students turned to look at her. McGonagall looked over to Tonks quickly.

"Go alert the Order. Tell them to get here immediately." Tonks nodded, after raced out of the hall through the crowd, evidently trying to find a fireplace and forgetting that she could easily just cast a patronus. McGonagall then turned to the jumbled and frightened students before her.

"Will the first through fourth years and anyone who wishes to not fight please follow Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout out of the Great Hall." She then turned to Flitwick and Sprout and spoke in a quiet, even voice.

"Take them to the Gryffindor common room. It's the safest and closest." Flitwick and Sprout nodded and yelled for the students to follow them. Hermione and the group surrounding her moved out of the way and watched as the scared students followed obediently out of the hall, some of the fourth years and even some of the third years looking annoyed that they didn't get the chance to fight against the demons that had plagued their entire life. Basically all of the Slytherins followed, yet if was evident that they weren't going to go to the Gryffindor common room.

McGonagall turned to the students and teachers. "Guard the front doors and surround the castle." She turned to Filch, who was standing with the teachers. "Go lock up the castle and make sure every inch of the castle is locked down."

Another explosion echoed through everyone's ears just as McGonagall finished her commands. As soon as it sounded, everyone was rushing to the door, their wands drawn. They immediately headed for the front doors and Hermione followed, the wand she had taken in her hand.

The front doors opened slowly, looking like they were opening in slow motion, and their eyes were immediately lit up by spells hitting the wards while their eardrums rattled as the explosion's sound waves flew at them.

People covered their ears and some closed their eyes as they watched the attempt at breaking the dome-like shield over the Hogwarts castle. As soon as the explosion was over, McGonagall shouted from the front for people to follow her and guard the front. People started to pile out, clustered together in one big group, their eyes bright with fear and dedication and their jaws clenched with determination.

People ran past Hermione, some hitting against her as they tried to move through the crowd. She snapped out of whatever trance she was in and was about to move when she felt someone grab her ripped shirt and pull her into the now empty Great Hall. She turned around only to be met by startling green eyes that made her breath catch in her throat and her chest tighten. She swallowed and recovered quickly only to narrow her eyes at him.

"Harry, what are you-"

"Hermione, I need you to get out of here," Harry said, gripping her upper arms with both of his hands, even though one hand held his wand. His voice was low and his eyes looked straight into hers.

"Harry, I'm not going anywhere," Hermione said firmly, shrugging his hands off of her arms, her eyes not leaving his.

"Please Hermione," Harry said, his voice desperate, "I need you to get out of here. You're already hurt and I don't want anything else to happen to you."

"Harry I'm not leaving you. And this isn't really the best time to be having a disagreement, you know."

"Hermione, please! I already lost you once, I don't plan to lose you again."

"Harry, I'm not leaving. I'll be by your side the entire time," she said, looking into his eyes. "I promise." Harry looked at her and for the millionth time tonight, she found herself pulled into a tight hug. Warm arms wrapped around her and she leaned against him, wrapping her arms around him and smiling slightly.

"I still can't believe your back Hermione," he whispered.

"You better believe it Potter," Hermione said, smiling. Suddenly, she felt someone tug her away from Harry and she looked up to see Ron, standing in between.

"I know Hermione just came back mate but there's a war going on right now and we could really use both of your help."

An explosion drowned out all conversation and screams and shouts were heard outside. The trio looked at each other before racing out of the Great Hall doors and outside the stone steps into the cloudy, cold night.

The ground was cold and wet, proof that it had already rain yet the grey clouds above them promised more. Hermione's breath came out as a small, white cloud in front of her face and a cold wind blew through her hair and torn clothing, yet she didn't shiver or let alone move. Her entire gaze was focused above her.

The shields above seemed like they were melting away; the last explosion seeming to do the trick. Everyone's mouth was open wide as they watched the shield melt half down, leaving them exposed and vulnerable. The first spell that flew at them seemed to startle them out of their trance.

Even though the shield wasn't entirely gone, the spells flew at them from above, hitting the ground below them, tossing up wet dirt and grass, and hitting the ancient castle that was their home, cracking it and making some parts of the castle explode with chunks of stone.

Hermione covered her face as crumbles of rock came down on her but she immediately looked back up again, only to see the wards completely down. She looked over all of the students and teachers, spotting some Order members standing in the front with McGonagall, who had her wand pointed in the air in front of her.

"ON THREE!" she screamed and everyone pointed their wands into the air, mimicking her, seeming to know what to do.

"ONE…TWO…THREE!"

As soon as the word left her mouth, spells exploded from all of the wands, raining down on the large crowd of cloaked Death Eaters, who had by now gotten through the gates. Most of the spelled missed, hitting the ground and some even hitting the Forbidden Forest, but before they could hit the Death Eaters, most of them disapparated in a cloud of black smoke, the Anit-Disapparation wards now gone.

With audible cracks, cloaked figures appeared in the crowd in front of Hogwarts, shooting a rainbow of spells at random students, some laughing as they did. Hermione immediately starting shooting spells at any Death Eaters she saw, only using non-lethal spells though.

She shot a Stunner at a random Death Eater, who fell to the ground, and she quickly bound him, or her, up with a simple spell. She turned around and hissed when a stray spell hit her shoulder, making her skin sting and burn. She clenched her teeth together and ignored her shoulder as spell after spell rolled off of her tongue.

Wing blew through her hair and whipped at her face. Thunder exploded above them and large chunks of the castle fell to the ground behind her, barely missing a few students but successfully crushing two Death Eaters, whose screams were immediately silenced by the chunks of castle.

Lightning flashed, streaking across the sky as Hermione shot another spell at a cloaked figure sneaking up of Harry. The lightning lit up the battle field around her and she could see the first casualties of the war from both sides lying twisted on the ground. She looked up to the sky, watching another streak of lightning flash above her, lighting up her eyes with pale, blue light.

Then next thing she knew, she was on the ground with a raven-hair boy on top of her, shooting a spell at an on-coming Death Eater. As soon as the Death Eater was down, he quickly got up, pulling Hermione with him.

"This isn't the best time for weather-watching, Hermione," he said slightly breathless while blue light flew from the tip of his wand, just missing a Death Eater who was now throwing spells at the two of them.

They were now back-to-back, battling against their own Death Eaters, throwing spell after spell while curses flew past them. Hermione dodged a rather nasty blood-red curse, pulling Harry to the side so he wouldn't get hit, which caused his spell to miss the Death Eater in front of him.

Chunks of rock flew at them from the side where the castle was and Hermione shielded her face. The Death Eater she was fighting was about to throw a curse at her when Harry turned around quickly and shot a Stunner at him, which he unfortunately blocked. But it gave Hermione the time to recover.

"Aw, isn't that sweet. Little Potter over there protecting his filthy, Mudblood girlfriend," the Death Eater laughed while throwing another curse at Hermione, which she blocked with a flick of her wand. She heard Harry growl behind her and throw a quick curse at the Death Eater he was fighting before spinning around and shooting a spell at the other Death Eater, the same exact time as Hermione shot a spell as well.

Both spells connected with the surprised Death Eater and he was lifted off of his feet and flew through the air, only to hit the ground a few feet away, unconscious.

"You okay?" Harry asked, looking at Hermione. He had a small, yet slightly deep, cut on his cheek and blood was slowly making its way down his face but other than that, he looked uninjured…a little dirt but uninjured.

"Yeah Harry, don't worry, I'm fine," Hermione said, looking him straight in the eyes.

"Is it too late to ask for you to get outta here?"

"Harry, I'm not leaving and that's final." Harry sighed but they were quickly brought out of their small conversation by an explosion making flames erupting violently beside them. They both looked up only to see one side of Hogwarts on fire. Their eyes widened as they watched the flames flicker and dance on the old stone building. Even though the fire was a little distance away, Hermione could still feel the heat slightly. The flames made the sweat that covered everyone's faces gleam and shine and the dirt stand out prominent on their clothes and skin.

"Harry! Hermione! There you are!" a voice shouted behind them. They both turned around to see a disheveled and dirty Ron running up to them, who was fortunately unscathed. "Finally! I found you guys. I guess we got separated," Ron said when he finally reached them and Hermione felt the need to roll her eyes as he stated the obvious.

Harry opened his mouth to respond but loud, ground-crushing footsteps captured their entire attention. The trio turned to the direction of the Forbidden Forest and the vibrations in the ground seemed to get more violent. Trees were being pushed out of the way, crashing to the ground and some were even being pulled out, their roots broken and torn from the earth.

Hermione's eyes widen as she watched the first of the giants run out of the forest, their roars reaching her ears. There were at least six or seven giants, their faces all scrunched up and their clothes all torn and hanging off of them, barely covering them up. Some held clubs and some went empty handed.

"Are…are those for us?" Ron asked weakly, his voice low and somewhat squeaky with his face scrunched up in fear. The first giant to emerge grabbed a tree from the ground, lifting it up while chunks of dirt flew everywhere. He swung the up-rooted tree and they watched as it hit the side of the castle, just barely skimming over the top of the greenhouses.

"I don't think so Ron," Hermione said, her voice so low it was almost a whisper. Her eyes grew wide as she watched Hagrid's hut get crushed under one of the giant's feet, making wood fly everywhere.

"Run…guys, run," Harry said, pushing them back with his arms, the three of them backing up slowly as they watched the giants walk towards them. A club came crashing down on the ground a few feet before them, flinging dirt at them and making people run away while they were slowly backing away, their eyes as big a saucers.

"RUN!" Harry shouted as the club came down again. The three scrambled out of the way just as the club came down of the ground they were just standing on. People, including Death Eaters who knew that even if the giants were on their side, they were too stupid to know who was who, were running ahead of them and Hermione turned, seeing a groups of people taking on some of the giants behind them.

The club smashed behind her again and she jumped over a Death Eater's lifeless body in order to avoid it. She felt Harry's hand grab her arm and drag her along, probably so he would know that she was still there.

She heard the giant roar a gurgled, growl sound behind them and she stopped and quickly turned around. The giant raised his club over his head, leaving himself vulnerable.

"CONJUNCTIVITUS!" A bright, sickly yellow beam shot out of Hermione's wand and hit dead on. The curse hit the giant's eyes and with a roar of both anger and pain, the giant dropped his club and put both hands to his eyes. The giant's club fell behind him and he stumbled blindly around, only to step of his club, both breaking it with his foot and tripping on it, falling to the ground.

Before Hermione could see if the giant got back up, she felt Harry grab her arm and drag her away.

"That was bloody brilliant Hermione!" Ron praised, smiling. Hermione smiled and shook her head and they ran away from the giant, who still hadn't moved from the ground. Shouts and screams were ahead and Hermione saw clusters of Death Eaters and students fighting against each other. A few giants were there, though they were surrounded by groups of students, teachers, and Order members and needless to say, the giants weren't doing such a good job.

Hermione's ears pricked up slightly as she hear someone whisper something and before Harry and Ron could even react, Hermione pushed them down and a green curse shot over them. Hermione was quickly up with her wand pointed at the Death Eater in front of them. She heard Harry and Ron get up quickly and point their wands at the cloaked figure ahead of them.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? Weasley, Potter…and the little Mudblood," the figure laughed. Hermione heard Ron growl behind her and she felt Harry tense up. Hermione stood firmly in front of the two, preventing any movement whatsoever from them.

"What do you want Malfoy," Harry said, spitting the name out like it was the filthiest curse word ever created. Malfoy completely ignored Harry and turned to Hermione, his eyes raking her entire body.

"I see you healed up pretty nicely," he started. Hermione growled and Harry looked down at her.

"Hermione, what's he talking about?" he whispered, just as Malfoy started again.

"Except for your hands. Isn't that a shame," he said, laughing at the end. Hermione growled again and a spell flew at Malfoy from her wand, which he blocked quickly with a small flick of his wand.

"Silver is a nasty metal, isn't it?" Hermione threw another spell at him but he blocked it again, pretending to yawn. He laughed and looked at her.

"Silly girl," he said shaking his head, "You cannot hurt me."

"But I can."

They trio and Malfoy looked over to where the voice came from and before they could do anything else, a bright beam shot at Malfoy, making him fly back and hit a tree.

Draco Malfoy glanced at the trio, who stared at him shell-shocked, as he made his way towards his father, who was trying to get up. He looked at them and his steely-blue eyes met Hermione's for a split second before he spoke.

"Go. Now! This between me and him," he said, looking down at his father. The trio started at him for a few seconds before a cruse flew at the platinum-haired boy, making Hermione move to run to help before Ron grabbed Harry's and Hermione's arms and pulled them away. Hermione looked back and nodded to Draco in thanks, which he returned before turning back to his father.

Ron dragged Harry and Hermione away from the father/son "bonding" and pulled them into part of the Forbidden Forest. Ron pulled them behind a particularly wide tree and the two boys both turned to Hermione.

"Hermione," he paused as a particularly loud explosion sounded and he waited until it ended before he continued. "What was he talking about," Harry asked, his eyes narrowed.

"Nothing," she said quickly, though both boys narrow their eyes as if to say "I don't believe you." Hermione sighed and looked at them.

"Look, now's neither the time nor the place to have story time. I'll explain it all later." Harry and Ron looked at each other and looked back.

"Okay but you have to promise that you will," Ron said. Hermione nodded and cringed as a loud explosion met their ears as well as dozens of screams.

"Com'on," Harry said quietly. They followed him out and immediately starting to shoot spells at any Death Eater they saw. They ran through the grounds, the castle now on fire in several places and many places were caved in and destroyed. Yet Hermione could hear footsteps and shouts of spells from inside the castle and her heart dropped when she realized that they had gotten in.

"Stupefy!" she shouted, catching a Death Eater from behind that was sneaking up on a sixth year. She turned away before the Death Eater fell to the ground and quickly casted another spell, hitting yet another Death Eater.

Grey clouds rolled overhead and she felt the first of the rain drop onto her head and shoulders. Thunder rolled above her and thunder flashed. She guessed that they had been fighting for maybe an hour and she knew that the moon was probably already up, even though she couldn't see it.

She felt a spell clip the back of her thigh, ripping her pants even more and tearing her skin open. She whirled around, shooting a spell quickly at the Death Eater behind her before more spells flew at her. She soon found herself engaged in a battle with two Death Eaters. Even though they weren't trebly good fighters, it was still difficult to block one spell only to have another fly at you.

She threw a Jelly-Legs Jinx at one Death Eater, who wobbled around before falling flat on his face, and then quickly threw a Stunner at the other. The Death Eater on the wet ground threw a bright orange curse at her, which she side-stepped and countered with a Stunner to the face.

She whirled around quickly, spotting Harry and Ron fighting back to back with two Death Eaters each. Dozens of galloping footsteps suddenly reached Hermione's ears and she looked over at the forest, only to see at least 30 centaurs gallop out, all with arrows and a bow, with Firenze surprisingly in front.

He shouted something and all of the centaurs broke apart, spreading out and running in small groups while they shot arrows, aimed at the giant's that the students were still fighting. The giants roared while the centaurs shot arrow after arrow at them, hitting them in the face.

Hermione suddenly found herself being pulled back for the millionth time that night just as a curse flew by the spot where she was just standing.

"You might want to watch where you stand there Hermione," he said, smiling.

"Thanks Seamus," Hermione said before he nodded and ran over to help Dean and Lavender, who were battling against three Death Eaters. Hermione looked over again to where Ron and Harry were and quickly ran towards them, shooting two Stunners at the Death Eaters who they were fighting.

"Thanks Hermione," Ron said, panting and wiping sweat mixed with rain from his forehead. She simply nodded to him.

Rain came down sideway now, pounding against her body and the ground, making her, as well as the earth, completely drenched. More explosions sounded behind her and she could hear more pieces of stone rain down to the ground. The flames that danced on Hogwarts were the only light source on the grounds, creating an eerie glow to the fights around them.

Three jets of light, all different colors, suddenly flew over and past them, just skimming their heads.

"Come on, we shouldn't be just standing here," Hermione said before taking off again, throwing spells at random Death Eaters. Harry followed close behind her and Ron fired off a few spells, hitting the Death Eaters who had just fired at them, before following.

They ran on through the crowds of people fighting, shooting off spells, jinxes, and curses as they went. The lake was ahead of them and ever so often, the Giant Squid's tentacle would come out and snatch a Death Eater, dragging them into the lake while they screamed and kicked helplessly.

Hermione looked back ahead of her and skidded to a stop quickly, her feet digging into the wet earth and spraying a few drops of water in front of her. Acromantulas were quickly crawling over fallen trees that lay on the ground before her. There was at least half a dozen of them. Hermione's mouth hung open slightly as she looked at the giant spiders and she hear Ron and Harry come to a stop beside her.

"Bloody hell," Ron breathed beside her and she could practically hear his heart beat speed up even more. One of the Acromantulas hissed at them and jumped off of the fallen tree before them.

"Deprimo!"

A powerful wind blew from Hermione's wand, blasting the Acromantula away; making it hit a tree before it dropped back down onto the ground, seemingly uninjured.

The other Acromantulas hissed at them and before they could jump on the trio, Hermione grabbed both Ron's and Harry's arm, Ron's shaking, and dragged them away. They ran, Hermione in front, their feet pounding into the wet ground and occasional puddles, splashing water into the air.

Hermione could hear the Acromantulas crawling along the ground behind them, although they seemed to be getting farther away. Hermione crashed through trees suddenly, the branches whipping her face and arms.

She ran on, her breath quick and hard. She ducked a large, low branch almost silently and she could hear Harry and Ron running behind her, getting tangled and hit by more branches then she was. She jumped over a large tree, which was most likely uprooted by one of the giants, and she heard Ron curse as he almost tripped over it.

Hermione suddenly stopped, leaning on her legs and trying to calm her breathing down. Ron and Harry stumbled behind her, stopping about three feet from her. Both were breathing heavier than her, Harry breathing so hard that he couldn't speak.

"So…why are…we in…here," Ron panted, leaning against a tree and looking around their surroundings.

They were in a small space between hundreds of trees. Trees surrounded them and the entire forest was dark besides a little light that came from behind the clouds, though Hermione could see perfectly fine. The rain had stopped, Hermione realized now, but thunder still rumbled in the distance and lightning still streaked the sky occasionally.

"I…I don't really…know," Hermione said, gaining control of her breathing slightly. "I just…ran. I wasn't…really paying any…attention to where…I was going."

"Well we…were following…you," Ron stated.

"Enough. We have…to get…back," Harry said, his words so breathless that they were barely audible. Ron's eyes suddenly widened, something that only Hermione could see in the dark.

"Harry?"

"Yeah," he said, breathlessly.

"What about the horcruxes," Ron said, his voice low and laced with worry.

"Oh…oh God!" Harry whispered, gripping his hair with both hands; his wand pointed in the air.

"Did you destroy them?" Hermione asked, guilt making her chest tighten. Ron opened his mouth but Harry spoke first.

"We…we destroyed all but the cup and Nagini," he said, his breathing easier than before and his eyes staring at the ground.

"The snakes obviously with Voldemort but where's the cup?" Hermione asked.

"We don't know," Ron said.

"Well where does that leave us?"

"Nowhere really but I might have an idea of where it could quite possibly be," Harry said, looking at the two.

"Well then what are we-"Hermione stopped, panic beginning to rise in her throat._ 'No, no, no, no, no,_ she though. A tingling sensation started, spreading down her entire body, getting more intense by the second.

"Hermione? What's going on? What's wrong," Harry asked quickly, stepping closer.

Hermione looked up through the trees and branches. The grey clouds were moving away and Hermione could see the first part of the moon starting to peak through.

"Hermione?" Ron said.

The tingling exploded within her body, making her fall to her knees with her jaw clenched tight. Agony shit through her body in continuous waves and she shut her eyes tight, trying so hard not to scream.

"Hermione!" she heard Harry shout but before he could run to her, she whirled around.

"Don't. Go…now," Hermione warned her voice low, her voice strained with pain and her body tense as she stayed kneeled on the ground.

"Hermione, what's happening," he asked but his words were drowned out by Hermione's scream. All of the pain rushed to her head, making her lean over, her hands clasped on her head.

"Go!" she screamed, before another wave of pain ignited in her body. The moon was almost fully out by now and the rays spread across the ground, lighting up the forest and burning Hermione's skin.

Her hands dug into the ground as her fingernails grew and sharpened into small, individual daggers. Her screams echoed through the forest as her hands cracked and widened. Her fingers cracked and shrunk into her hand and her thumb slid up, forming massive paws.

Silver fur sprouted on her fingers, running up her hand and onto her arm as the muscles in her arm widened and bulked. Her feet sprouted silver fur as her nails grew into gleaming knives that cut into the earth under her.

She threw her head back as a scream tore from her lips, her teeth growing into tremendous fangs as her heels stretched up. Her toes formed into large, agile paws. Her clothes started to rip apart at the seams as the muscles in her back began to bulk up, silver fur growing at an alarming rate.

Her shoulder blades slipped up just as her ribs cracked and molded into her new body. The veins in her neck stood out as her neck grew wider, silver fur spreading up her back and onto her neck while her long brown hair receded into her skull as every strand turned a silver color.

Her ears stretched into points and stretched up her head while her spine cracked multiple times and her now growing tail stretched her skin while shaggy long fur grew. Her femur bones shortened and her knees bent forward as her hind legs formed and molded into strong, steady legs.

Her screamed echoed through the trees, while Ron and Harry watched with wide eyes, Harry's heart breaking with every scream of agony that tore from her throat.

'_Silver is a nasty metal, isn't it,_ Malfoy's words echoed in Harry's head and images of Hermione's hand and wrists flashed in his mind.

"Bloody hell," Harry whispered, looking at Hermione as she threw her head back in the air. Her nose and mouth stretched into a long muzzle while her jaw widened and formed to fit her new mouth. Fur grew on her face as her scream turned into a ghostly howl.

The silver wolf's head was lifted into the air as her howl carried through the night, a full moon shining down upon them. The wolf's head suddenly went down, her muzzle nearly touching the ground and a low whimpering noise filled the air.

Even though Harry knew that this wasn't the time, he couldn't help but think how beautiful the wolf looked. Her fur was a shaggy silver shade and she was at least as twice as big as a normal wolf but even then he couldn't help but think that she looked peaceful with her head down and her coat gleaming as the rays of moonlight hit her.

He took a step forward and quickly shushed Ron as he tried to protest. He took another step forward and then another, only to have his foot land on a twig, breaking it with a small_ snap_ and making the wolf's ears prick back against her head as the whining stopped.

Harry stumbled back as the wolf's head shot up, stumbling back to his place next to Ron. The both of them stared wide-eye at the silver beast turned to face them. A low growl erupted in the back of the wolf's throat as she looked at them.

Harry looked into the wolf's eyes and watched as the familiar gleam of brown disappeared. Black swirled in her eyes until both were a soulless black color…a color that reminded Harry of death.

"Ron," Harry breathed, "run." As soon as the word left Harry's mouth, the wolf leaned back on her feet, preparing to lung at them, and Harry raised his wand.

'_I'm sorry Hermione,'_ he though as he opened his mouth, just as the wolf lunged at them.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Now I truly feel like an awful person by leaving it like that. But I hoped you all enjoyed it. I won't be able to write or update for a few days. On Monday I will be driving to Virginia to visit my granparents and I'm not going to bring my computer (it's broken anyway...one of the hinges is broken) Anyway, I will start to write as soon as I get back, which I think is Wednesday. I would also like to thank every single one of you for helping me get over 100 reviews! I never thought I would get that much when I started to write this. I'm glad you are all enjoying this but there are only 2 more chapters left *wiped tears away and sniffs*. But I promise that the two chapters will be amazing! Okay, I'm gonna stop talking now. Bye! Love ya all! 3**


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: I still own nothing to do with Harry Potter.

* * *

><p>The silver wolf lunged, her paws digging into the damp, cold earth behind her before she propelled off of the forest floor, the muscles rippling underneath her thick coat in her hind legs and shoulders. Harry mouth was open, his wand pointed, the spell lying on his tongue, just waiting to meet the air. Of course, it was only a Stunner. He didn't want to hurt the wolf, which he knew was still Hermione; he just needed to buy Ron and him some time.<p>

Half of the spell met the air by the time the wolf was in mid-air, her mouth curled into a vicious snarl and a growl deep in her chest. Her sharp teeth were gleaming as the beams of moonlight hit them and saliva hung in thick vines from her mouth.

Something rustled to Harry's left but he paid no notice, he didn't even notice the shadow escaping the bushed as rushing to them. The tip of his wand glowed and just when the silver wolf's paws were almost touching his chest, his spell shot out.

Only it didn't hit the silver wolf.

A giant furry mass knocked into the silver wolf, hitting the she-wolf in her side and making her fly to the right, sliding on the wet ground before her back slammed into a tree while the other wolf landed on the ground. All while Harry's spell flew into a tree, forgotten as Harry watched the dark, brown wolf whip around to look at them.

The wolf was only a little larger that the silver and based on his structure, he was obviously male. His coat was a dark brown (making him blend in with the shadows of the forest) with grey hair littered everywhere, especially his muzzle. He stood facing the two, his muscles tense and tight underneath his coat.

A sharp, brief bark erupted from his throat but it wasn't like a normal dogs bark. It was more like a growl-yelp sound. Harry looked into the familiar brown eyes but froze when he saw the silver wolf getting up from the ground, one side of her fur caked with muddy earth. With a snarl, she lunged, her eyes bright with bloodlust and fury.

"Professor! Look out!" Harry shouted, his voice ringing through the air. Lupin turned around only to get slammed into the ground by the she-wolf. The silver wolf snarled, a few drops of saliva dropping from her mouth, and lunged at Lupin's neck.

Lupin kicked the she-wolf off of him with his powerful hind legs, making her fly off of him and skid on the ground before charging back, her head lowered slightly and her mouth twisted in an almost sinister grin. Lupin's lips drew back, revealing pearl-white fangs, and he charged, leaping into the air the exact same time the silver wolf did.

They met in mid-air and even though they both had the same amount of strength, Lupin's bigger form make them crash to the ground with him on top. The silver wolf clawed and raked at his shaggy stomach, kicking him just as he jumped off of her.

The silver wolf was up instantly and, ignoring the pain from the claw marks on his stomach, he charged and head-butted her away, making her snap at him, catching him on his ear and tearing off a small piece of it.

The silver wolf slide a little but quickly threw Lupin to the ground with one push with her shoulder. The she-wolf whipped around to face Harry and Ron, who were frozen in place with their mouths hanging to the ground on which their feet stood on. She snarled, her mouth speckle with flecks of red from Lupin's torn ear, and made to charge at them when Lupin ran into her shoulder, throwing her to the side.

Lupin turned to them and "barked" again, breaking the two out of their frozen trance. He "barked" again and kicked the she-wolf in the face as she lunged at his hind leg, his nails tearing the skin from the beginning of her nose to just a millimeter away from her eye.

Harry stood there and let Ron grab his arm, pulling him away, his green eyes never leaving the two wolves as they clashed into each other in mid-air, biting and scratching at whatever they could, even though it seemed like Lupin was only doing it in self-defense and so that he and Ron could get away, not wanting to hurt the silver wolf because he knew it was still Hermione, even if the wolf side was in control.

Harry felt Ron's hand leave his arm and he turned around, now facing his red-haired friend, trees now blocking his vision of the two werewolves. They were close the beginning of the forest now, leaving Harry surprised that Ron had dragged him this far, and Harry could hear the explosions and screams still ringing through the air.

"Harry?" Ron said, trying to get his friends attention, "Harry!" Harry turned to Ron and something flashed in his emerald eyes.

"Ron! We have to go back! We have to help! Hermione's back there!"

"No mate. That's not Hermione anymore. She in there somewhere but right now, the beast is in control."

"But she could get hurt! Lupin could hurt her!"

"Mate! Lupin's not trying to hurt her. He's trying to contain her. And he knows what he's doing. He'll be fine," He said reassuringly.

"But we have to go back and help him. She's going to hurt him. She's going to get hurt!"

"Listen Harry," Ron said forcefully, "As much as I want to go back, we have a job to do. We have to destroy the rest of the horcruxes."

Harry swallowed hard and glanced back into the forest. As much as he wanted to go back and help Lupin, he didn't want to see Hermione like that. He knew he wouldn't be much help against a bloodthirsty wolf anyway. And he trusted Lupin not to seriously hurt Hermione or her wolf, even though she was trying to kill him.

"Okay. Then let's go," Harry said, starting to walk to the opening of the forest, stepping over branches and twigs.

"Wait. Where are we going?"

"To the Room of Requirement."

* * *

><p>Lupin dodged the silver wolf as she lunged at him, not wanting to hurt her anymore. Her muzzle was bloody but other than that, the silver wolf was fine. Much unlike himself but he ignored the pain and tried to show no signs of weakness.<p>

He needed to stop her from going on and attacking anyone else. She almost got Harry and he had barely made it in time. Hermione was not in control and the beast that was controlling her was bloodthirsty and powerful.

He felt the wolf smash her head into his side and he felt ribs crack while he felt to the ground, pain flaring up in his ribcage. He got up a little more slowly than he would have liked and ths she-wolf charged at him, knocking him over again.

She bit down hard on his shoulder, making him yelp in pain while she tore a piece of flesh and muscle from his body, making the blood on the remaining muscle gleam and start to soak the coat around his shoulder.

He bit down her leg; hard enough to draw blood but not hard enough to do any serious damage. She snarled at him and lunged for his neck just as he kicked her off, not using his full strength.

He got up as quick as he could and lunged at her, tackling the wolf to the ground and growling above her. She thrashed wildly and clawed at his stomach for the second time that night. He growled and sunk his teeth into her shoulder until he felt a few bead of blood bubble out.

The silver wolf snarled and bit down on his front leg hard, snapping his bones like toothpicks and making him let go of her. She rolled on top of him and before he could defend himself, she bit down hard on other shoulder, ripping hard and tearing flesh off before throwing the piece to the side.

Lupin whined underneath the silver wolf and she lunged down on his shoulder again, letting her teeth grind against his bones before crushing them into small pieces. He whined again, softer this time and before the silver wolf could deliver the fatal blow, the bushes to her right rustled.

* * *

><p>Harry and Ron ran up the staircase, leaping up two or three steps at a time with Harry in the lead and Ron in tow. They ran up the still staircases, careful to avoid the crashed sides and chunks of castle that had fallen from the roof.<p>

Harry made it to the top and he ran down the long corridor, flying past empty and shredded portraits as they leaned against the walls while some hung crooked on the walls. He skidded around the corner and immediately, his eyes stared at about a dozen Death Eaters battling against groups of students as they defended the Fat Lady's portrait, keeping the Death Eaters from breaking in.

Harry instantly sent two Stunners at the first Death Eaters he saw, catching them off guard and making them fall to the ground. Ron shot two curses off, making one Death Eater fall to the ground with his legs tied tightly with rope and making another Death Eater to fall down with his legs twitching and jerking uncontrollably.

Harry and Ron ran through the hallway, shooting down Death Eaters. They ran past the Fat Lady's portrait and saw Flitwick standing there fighting a Death Eaters who was trying to get into the Gryffindor common room. Harry had no idea how they knew the student were in there but then again, maybe they didn't. Perhaps they were just trying to find them or just cause as much destruction as possible.

"Mr. Potter! Mr. Weasley," Flitwick said, breathless as he finally flicked the Death Eater he was fighting away only to hit a wall and slide down unconscious, "What are you doing?"

Harry just ran past without speaking but Ron turned around, running backwards as he spoke.

"Sorry Professor! Can't talk! Saving the world and all!" And with that, he turned around and followed Harry down the corridor.

* * *

><p>The silver wolf looked away from the now unconscious brown wolf below her and to the bushes beside her, her muzzle stained deep with blood from the familiar wolf below her. The wolf felt a tug in her mind and she pushed it back, ignoring the <em>human<em> as she tried to take control again. But the wolf wouldn't let that happen; she was free now and she loved it.

She silver wolf tilted her head as the bushes stopped rustling. All of a sudden, a black mass lunged out at her and made her hit the earth hard. She snapped at the mass on top of her but he growled and dug his claws into her shoulders.

She felt a twin god déjà-vu as his wet dog smell mixed with rotten meat flew into her sensitive nose. She felt his claws cut through the skin in her shoulders. His eyes were fully black but the wolf could see human in them and that alone mad her angry. She growled and snapped at his shoulder, kicking him and ranking her claws down his stomach. His black eyes lit up in a fiery fury and he sank his teeth into her blood-flecked coat, his teeth tearing at the flesh of her shoulder.

The silver wolf howled and raw anger gave her the strength to kick him off of her, making his teeth tear her flesh and hang from her shoulder, revealing muscle coated in gleaming blood. The black wolf lunged at her and his claws ranked down both sides of her flank.

She whirled around and bit down at his front leg, cracking it in one powerful snap of her jaws. The black wolf howled and lunged, grabbing her tail with his teeth and pulling her back hard. The bones in her tail broke and her snarled and dove for the other wolf, her claws catching her shoulder and leaving three long gashed marking his skin while his blood started to seep through his coat, even though you couldn't see it in his black fur.

He snarled, his teeth sparkling like sharp knives in the light and he leaned back in three paws (one of his paws in front elevated from the ground) and jumped at the silver wolf. The silver wolf lunged at him and they collided in mid-air, their jaws snapping at each other's faces while their claws raked down each other's backs, only their back paws on the ground.

The black wolf bit down hard on the silver wolf's ear and torn the entire thing off, making the silver wolf yelp and whine, giving the black wolf the time to knock the other wolf back and bite into her neck hard.

* * *

><p>Harry paced back and forth, his hands behind his back while Ron stood watch in case any Death Eaters popped up.<p>

_I need a place where everything is hidden. I need a place where everything is hidden. I need a place where everything is hidden,_ Harry thought.

Suddenly, the door started to form, breaking Harry out of his though. He stopped pacing and stood with his wand in his fist as he waited for the door to appear fully.

"Com'on Ron," Harry said, flicking his head to the door as Ron turned around. Ron walked up and Harry grabbed the doorknob. He turned it and pushed the door opening silently to reveal mountains of miscellaneous and mostly pointless objects and books.

"Harry? What if it isn't in here," Ron asked, looking away from the seemingly endless piles of objects and glancing sideways at Harry, his gaze full of worry and fear.

"Well I suppose we will figure that out after we look through all of this," Harry said, trying to remain with a composed demeanor. Ron nodded and swallowed loudly, cursing under his breath as he looked over the objects that filled the room.

"Well then," Ron said, "I suppose we should get started."

"Okay. You take that side," Harry said, pointing to the right side of the room, "And I'll take the left." Ron nodded and the both walked away from the door, which had shut behind them.

Harry walked to the nearest pile, gazing at the pile of random things. Books piled high on a table while a few dusty cabinets were lined up next to it. Harry opened the cabinet doors and shut them with a small_ click_ when he saw that they were empty.

He walked down the narrow path that was made in between the rows of now useless junk. Old Butterbeer bottles lay on one side, most of them standing up but a few were on their sides. A dresser piled high with old brushed, gold and silver combs, and a few plastic tiaras stood on his left. Chairs piled one on top of another sat there with dust collecting on the top seat and the creases on the mahogany backrests.

Rugs that were rolled up and mirrors that had cracks and were covered in grim so thick that you would need a knife to scrape it off stood on both sides of him, staring back at him with shame. Useless and ugly decorations lay on top of a low dresser on his right and rows of bookcases filled with more knowledge than Hermione knew lined his left side.

He passed through rows and rows, her eyes squinted as he searched through the piles, digging through them only to come up empty handed. He didn't know how long they searched for; his only focus was on finding the small golden cup. He didn't even hear the explosions from outside and quite possibly inside the castle.

"Hey Harry!" Ron's voice shouted over rows and rows of random things, making Harry jump as he was jolted out of his focus.

"What!" he shouted back, slightly irritated as Ron interrupted him.

"What does the cup look like exactly?"

"It's small and golden with two handles on both sides and a picture of a badger on the front! Why?"

"I think you might want to come here!" Harry didn't waste any time. He ran out of the row he was in, his shoes silenced by the rug that covered the floor in the row below him. He quickly made it to Ron, who was staring at something in a glass cabinet, the glass preventing any access to the objects inside the cabinet.

Harry followed Ron's gaze and a grin- small and barely noticeable- appeared on his face.

There, starting back at him… was Hufflepuff's cup.

* * *

><p>The silver wolf whined as his teeth sank through her skin of her neck and she kicked at him to let go. She wiggled and twisted her body until her neck slipped out of his grasp and she twisted around so she was standing on her feet. Blood dripped from her neck but the wolf knew that he hadn't bit into any major veins; he only got the skin surrounding her throat.<p>

With a deep snarl, her lips slide back over her sharp teeth and her bloody muzzle wrinkled up. She charged at the black wolf, the pain in her body gone and replaced with anger. She knocked the black wolf off guard and they hit the ground.

Before the black wolf could retaliate, the silver wolf bit into his neck hard, her mouth covering as much of his neck as it would allow and she bit down as hard as she could, crushing his windpipe and cutting through his flesh and muscle easily.

His whines became struggles for air and he thrashed around wildly but she held on tight, crushing his neck even harder with her powerful jaws. The wolf recognized him and knew he was bad. She didn't care that she didn't know what he had actually did but she just knew that he was bad. And that thought made her sink her teeth even harder into his neck.

His thrashes were becoming weaker and half-hearted and the silver wolf seemed to grin even though her mouth clung to the black wolf's neck. With one tremendous pull of her head, she tore his neck out. Parts of his muscle, flesh, veins and his windpipe and esophagus ripped out of his neck easily and the silver wolf spit them out of her mouth. His blood now covered her chest, front legs and mouth but she didn't care.

She leap off of the wolf, licking at her wounds, which were still bleeding freely, coating and matting her silver coat, staining it a deep red. She looked over at the other wolf- the brown one- and saw that he was still lying motionless on the wet ground but she made no move to attack him further. She didn't feel the need to kill him like she did with the black one.

A few specks of water fell on her head and she looked up, a few drops falling on her blood-stained face. The grey sky above her rolled and a rumbling sound erupted in the distance, making her one still intact ear move back against her head.

But there was a break in the clouds, a break which was filled up by the full moon, glowing down at the silver wolf. And with that, the silver wolf closed her eyes and howled while the thunder sang along with her.

* * *

><p>Harry and Ron stared at the cup, looking through the surprisingly shiny glass and at the golden cup, the badger on the front staring back at them.<p>

"Well," Ron said after a few moments of silence, "how'd you think we get it out?"

"Ummm…" Harry said, looking at the cup. He slipped his wand into his pocket and put his hands on one side of the cabinet, pulling on the glass with all of his might. After a few useless attempts, he let his arms fall to his sides, his jaw clenched in frustration.

"Here, let me try it," Ron said, moving Harry out of the way and pulling on the glass. But it ending the same way, with the cup still trapped behind the glass. Harry took his wand out and pointed it at the glass door.

"Alohomora." Nothing happened. Even after a dozen attempts, it still stayed the same.

"We need to blast it open. We don't have a lot of time," Harry said quickly, lifting his arm and pointing his wand at the cabinet. Ron nodded and backed away slightly, giving Harry some room.

"Expulso!" With one small twist and flick of the wand, an orange blast light hit the glass cabinet, making the glass crack before falling apart in shards of sharp pieces. Harry immediately seized the small, golden cup in his hands.

The metal was cold and smooth without any rust or dents or scratches anywhere on the surface. The handles were twisted around at the top and behind the picture of the badger, the colors of Hufflepuff stood out proudly.

"Great! We have the cup now," Ron announced, coming up to Harry's side, "So now the question is- how do we destroy it?"

Harry took the cup into his left hand and let his arm fall, the cup in his fist.

"I have an idea," he said just as an explosion sounded, making the chandelier above them sway side to side. "But we have to get there fast." Harry glanced at a row of broomsticks to his right and looked back at Ron. They both grabbed a random broom and Ron looked at Harry.

"Lead the way mate," Ron said and Harry nodded, running out of the door with Ron at his heels.

* * *

><p>The silver wolf lowered her head, the ghost of her howl still floating in the wind. She sniffed the air and her ears pricked up as she heard sounds of screams and footsteps pounding on the ground. The smell of smoke and blood filled her nose and tickled the back of her throat.<p>

She licked her lips. Blood. And lots of it.

She quickly stood, her fur feeling tight and matted against her skin due to the amounts of blood caked on it. She paid no notice to the gashes and tears that left her skin torn and hanging off. The wolf wanted blood; she wanted to taste it on her tongue and to feel it trickle down her throat, still hot as it ran out of their fragile humans bodies.

With one last glance at the two werewolves lying before her motionless, she kicked off of the ground and ran through the forest, the moonlight falling down on her. Her muscles rippled underneath her blood-crusted coat and her lips drew back, making it look as if she were smiling.

She broke out of the forest and stood with her head held high. She lunged at the nearest human she saw, which was a Death Eater and bit down onto his neck, ripping it out as soon as her teeth sunk into his flesh. The Death Eater didn't even have time to scream; all he did was gasp and widen his eyes.

She lapped at the blood flowing from his broken veins while his glassy eyes stared up into the full moon, never to blink again. The silver wolf was interrupted when she felt something hit her side and she whirled around just as two other spells hit her, on in the chest and one on her leg.

The silver werewolf snarled and bit the empty air in anger as she looked at the small group of humans in front of her. One was a girl with fire-red hair that seemed to blend in with the fire that was burning behind her. Another was a brown-haired boy with big teeth that had a large gash on his forehead right above his left eye. There were also two boys about the same height with the same red hair and identical faces, both covered in dirt and ashes, their clothing torn in places.

One of the red-headed boys shot a ball of yellow light at her, hitting her already torn shoulder. The wolf skidded back a few feet, her head down as she protected her face from the blow. She straightened back up and lifted her head, growling and opening her mouth, her teeth covered in saliva as strands hung from her blood-covered mouth.

She lowered her head and ran at the group of humans in front of her. She jumped at them, her jaws opened wide, and just before she reached their petrified forms, something heavy slammed into her side and sent the silver wolf flying to the left, only to slam into a tree a few feet away.

She got to her feet after a split second of struggling from the pain in her side and turned around, only to see something fly at her and lodge itself into her leg. She reached down and pulled it out of her leg with her teeth, throwing it to the side before looking up again, snarling.

Five giant creatures stood before her. They were human creatures with four powerful legs underneath them. Their tails swished side to side and a few of them scrapped their hooves against the ground. They held a weird looking object in the hands and behind them in a sack, the wolf could see sharp tips. One of them shot something at her again and she felt the sharp tip enter her side.

A growl sounded deep in her throat as she felt the arrow hit her and she charged at the four-legged creatures. The five creatures grabbed the sharp tipped sticks behind them before putting them against the other object. They pulled back and the silver wolf could hear the whoosh of the air as the sharp sticks flew at her.

Two of them lodged themselves into her flesh, one in her hind leg and another in her shoulder. One flew by her face and she easily ducked it. She ran under one on the creatures and knocked into his stomach hard, making him rear up on his hind legs and scream as she bit into his leg.

She twisted around and raked her claws down his flank, raking down his hind legs before he kicked her hard in the side, sending her flying backwards. She slide on her side and tried to push herself up while pain shot through her broken ribcage.

But it was raw anger that made her get up. The creatures (except for the one that was injured) galloped to where she stood and were about to shoot more of those sharp sticks when giant footsteps made the ground rumble beneath them. The creatures looked away and the silver wolf dodged one of the creatures as they were thrown aside by a giant, pale monster that towered over her.

She dodged a giant foot and growled at the giant. The giant roared and was about to pound his fist down on her when dozens of the arrows flew at it, making it roar and forget about the werewolf that was before it.

The wolf tilted her head at the strange beast before her and was about to jump on its giant foot when a familiar smell hit her nose. She knew that this person had hurt her; she knew that this person was evil. She wanted to taste his blood. And without a further glance back at the four-legged creatures or the giant monster, the silver wolf twisted around and ran into the forest behind her.

* * *

><p>Harry leaned forward further on the broom, racing down the pipe with Ron close behind him. His hair was blowing behind him and his eyes were squinted so much they looked like they were closed. He flew down the twisted pipe before flying out of the entrance and pulling back on the broom underneath him.<p>

He stopped and floated in mid-air as he waited for Ron to stop as well. They landed on the floor below them, bones of dead rodents crunching underneath their shoes.

"I'll never get used to this," Ron mumbled, looking at the broken skeletons with disgust. Harry just shook his head and walked away from Ron, who still stood in the middle of the room, and over to the mountain of large rocks. Ron came up beside him.

"This is gonna take forever," the red-head moaned.

"Well then…we should probably get started," Harry said, levitating a large rock over to the side. After a dozen or so rocks were levitated away, Ron huffed.

"Why can't we just explode them or something?"

"We don't want to cause another cave in or anything. Just a few more and we can get through."

Soon enough, a small opening was created. Harry looked over at Ron and he nodded. Harry nodded back and climbed up the rocks to the small opening, dropping down on the other side. Water splashed up into the air as Harry hit the ground. He quickly moved out of the way and a few seconds later, Ron dropped down beside him.

Ron lifted his foot off of the wet ground and looked over at Harry, who was staring at the golden cup in his hand.

"Was it always this wet?" Ron asked. Harry just nodded and walked down the corridor. At the end was a giant door with snakes spread out on it. Ron followed and stopped in front of the door, glancing at Harry from the side.

Harry opened his mouth and a strangled hiss met the air. Ron beside him jumped as one of the snakes slide back. One by one, the snakes slide back while one snake circled the door. As soon as the last snake slid back, the door clicked to signify that it was unlocked.

Harry pushed the door open as soon as it clicked and stepped through, stepping down onto the wet stone floor. Large stone snakes lined each side of the long corridor and at the end; the corridor broke out into a wide room.

They walked down the long corridor, Ron gazing at every inch for the first time in his life. The squeak of their trainers against the wet floor was the only sound that filled Harry' ears as they neared the large mass that lay in the center of the room.

"Ughh…what's that smell?" Ron said as they stepped closer to the large rotting carcass, pinching his nose shut, making his voice sound slightly nasally.

"I think that is you answer," Harry said motioning to the large, half-rotten snake in front of them.

"It's that big!" Ron said loudly. Harry nodded and knelt next to the mouth of the beast while Ron looked down the entire Basilisk. Harry set his wand and the cup down next to him and grabbed one of the teeth with both of his hands, yanking on it hard.

The tooth came out easier than he expected but then again, he guessed that the gum had decayed slightly as well. Harry grabbed the cup and put his wand into his pocket before going up to Ron, who was now watching him.

"I need you to hold the cup down. And don't let it move." Ron nodded and knelt on the floor, the water soaking his pants like it did with Harry's. Harry knelt down to the floor as well and looked up at Ron. Ron positioned the cup flat on the ground and held it down tightly. He looked up at Harry and nodded. And with on fluent movement, Harry raised the tooth high in the air and brought it straight down in the cup.

A loud scream erupted from the cup and the cup began to vibrate violently. He heard Ron grunt as he struggled to hold it down and Harry pushed the tooth harder into the screaming cup. Blood began to seep out from the bottom and form a puddle around it, coating Ron's hands in some places.

All of a sudden, the scream reached its loudest and Harry and Ron were blown back into opposite walls. The cup vibrated on the ground, a crack forming from the bottom and spreading its way to the top, right through the badger in front.

Then the screaming stopped.

Harry slowly picked himself up from the ground, rubbing the back of his head where a bump was starting to form. Ron pushed off of the ground and stood, wincing slightly and favoring his left leg a bit as they walked up the cup, which was now lying on its side with a small puddle of blood around it.

Harry reached down and picked it up, turning it in his hands.

"Is it destroyed?" Ron asked. Harry ran his finger over the crack that had appeared and nodded, smiling a little. But as soon as the smile came, it vanished and Harry dropped the cup with a clatter as his hands clamped to his burning forehead.

Harry dropped to his knees, his head feeling like it was being cracked open with a hammer. He could barely make out Ron's voice as he knelt over him. After a few seconds of blinding pain, Harry blinked rapidly as the blurriness disappeared and found Ron looking down at him with concerned blue eyes.

"He knows," Harry panted, "He knows. We have to get out of here. We have to find him."

Ron nodded and helped Harry up, his scar still prickling. Together, they started to run down the corridor, through the door, down the wet corridor, though the small opening, and into the room with the bones.

They grabbed their brooms and together, they pushed off the ground and flew straight up the pipe until they exploded from the entrance in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. They landed with a thud on the floor, forgetting all about the floor.

Harry straightened up, trying to catch his breath while Ron got up from the floor, grabbing the destroyed horcrux that was lying a few inches from his hand. Harry looked around and his eyes narrowed.

"Ron…do you heard that?"

"I don't hear anything mate," Ron said, shaking his head in confused. Harry nodded.

"Exactly."

* * *

><p>Harry and Ron walked into the Great Hall. The doors were opened and one of them was burnt on one side. Piles of stone lay in front of the doors, forcing one of the doors to stay open. The entire Great Hall was swarming with somber people and even some centaurs, one of which had gashes on his flank and had favoring one of his hind legs.<p>

The tables were gone, replaced with make-shift beds. People sat on the beds, some with people next to them, while Madam Pomphrey, along with the help of some of the students, teachers, and Order members, tended to people's various injuries.

People sat to the side, some crying both loudly and quietly while people sat around them, sharing in their pain and crying along with them. People, cold and with their eyes closed, lay on mats to the left, looking as if they were merely sleeping.

Harry swallowed hard and clenched his hands into fists. The two of them walked slowly past two people too caught up in their sorrow to notice them and Harry felt guilt well up inside of him, making his stomach clench uncomfortably.

He looked at the people that lay to his left and looked at their white faces. The Patil twins lay side by side, their cold hands touching one another. Harry looked away and saw Lavender sobbing while Seamus comforted her, his own tears in his eyes as he looked at a cold Dean laying a few mats away.

Harry blinked hard and continued, focusing on each heavy step he took. He walked past a few Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students lying motionless on mats with a few people sitting next to them, crying softly.

Harry looked away and saw Neville standing to the side, talking to McGonagall, whose hair had fallen out of her usually neat, tight bun.

"What should we do about the Death Eaters?" Neville asked.

"Leave them there to rot. They deserve it," McGonagall said and Harry felt him smile at her words. But the smile soon vanished when he looked back at the rows of motionless figures.

Moody lay on one of the mats, his face and chest covered in gashes that would never heal and beside him, Hagrid lay with his eyes closed, scratches covering his face and his clothes torn and burnt with a quiet Fang lying at his side, whimpering every so often. Harry stopped and looked down sadly at the next person on the mat. Draco's face was peaceful and his already pale skin looked even whiter. Harry lowered his head as he stood in front of the platinum-haired Slytherin, closing his eyes.

Harry looked away after a while and looked up to see a familiar group of red-heads clustered in a tight group. Harry heart stopped and he heard Ron's breath hitch beside him. Ron ran quickly to his family and Harry followed close behind.

Fred, with a deep gash on his arm, and George, with a cut on his cheek, stood side by side, their arms around each other's shoulder. Ginny had her head buried in Charlie's chest, sobbing uncontrollably. Mr. Weasley was kneeling by his wife with his hand on her back, while Mrs. Weasley was bent over, sobbing into her hands. Percy (who had showed up in the beginning of the battle) stood off to the side of the group, staring down at the pale figure before him, his eyes glassy and distant.

Ron ran over and was immediately engulfed in a bone-crushing hug from Ginny and he hugged her back tightly, stroking her hair a few times before he let go. Harry came up just as Ron was hugged by Mrs. Weasley.

Harry was suddenly pulled into a tight hug from Ginny then Mrs. Weasley while the rest of the family patted his on the back and shoulder, their somber eyes burning into his. Harry looked away from them, feeling too responsible to look them in the eyes, and instead looked at Bill, whose red-hair stood out from his white face as Harry looked at his peaceful face.

Harry looked up after a few moments and found the Weasley family comforting each other. He quietly slipped away and walked over to the make-shift beds to the right. People were lying down, wrapping in bandages while some sat up as they were being tended to. Some were being given potions or having Dittany being put of their wounds.

Harry stopped at one bed with Tonks, whose hand was bandaged tightly, standing beside it, stroking brown fur with one hand. Lupin, still in wolf form, lay on his side, bandages wrapped around his beaten body. Harry stepped next to Tonks and gazed down at Lupin.

"He'll be fine," Tonks said, breaking Harry from his trance, "He'll heal in the transformation once the sun comes up."

"When's that?"

"Maybe in half-an-hour or so," Tonks said, playing with a piece of Lupin's fur. Harry didn't say anything else; he just walked away. He walked past all of the crying and somber people, past all of the lifeless bodies of his teachers and classmates, straight to the door.

Harry felt a hand grab his shoulder just as he was about to step out of the Great Hall. He turned around to see a red-eyes Ron standing there, holding the destroyed horcrux in his fist.

"You're not going alone mate," he said, his hand still on Harry's shoulder.

"Ron, you should be with you family right now. They need you." Ron shook his head.

"I promised you that you wouldn't do this alone. I'm not going to break that promise." He gave Harry a small smile and handed the horcrux to Harry, who smiled back. Harry nodded and they walked out of the Great Hall.

Fred, George and Ginny watched them leave, their eyes following them as they disappeared.

"Where do ya think they're going?" Fred asked. Ginny answered, her eyes never leaving the place where Ron and Harry had just been.

"To end it."

* * *

><p>"My Lord, perhaps we should go look for him," one Death Eater spoke up.<p>

"Quiet! He will come," the snake-like figure hissed while a giant snake curled around his feet, her tongue flicking out every so often.

The Death Eaters stood behind the snake-like figure; their black robes making them blend in with the shadows of the forest. The red-eyes figure stood with his wand in hand, his last horcrux behind him protectively.

A rustle made all of their heads turn and Voldemort smiled. Two figures made their way through the trees into a small clearing that held the Death Eaters and Voldemort standing proudly in front. The two figures stopped about 10 feet from Voldemort and Voldemort sneered.

"So…the great Harry Potter finally comes," Voldemort said his voice sickly smooth. He looked over at Ron and before Ron or Harry could move, two large beefy Death Eaters came up from behind and grabbed Ron's arms, dragging him away from Harry and over to the side while he struggled uselessly and earned a great punch in the gut.

Harry looked away from Ron and clenched his jaw. He took the horcrux out of his pocket and threw it at Voldemort's feet, making Voldemort bristle with rage.

"They're gone Tom," Harry sneered, "They're all gone except for your snake." Nagini hissed from her spot at Voldemort's feet.

"You will lose Tom!" Harry announce, pointing his wand at the snake and shooting off a sickly yellow light. The snake slithered away as the curse hit the ground, making the grass smoke next to Voldemort. Voldemort smirked.

"You cannot destroy me Harry Potter. You foolish boy! You will die today Harry Potter."

"Sorry to upset you Tom but only one of us can survive and I believe that it will be me."

Voldemort shot a curse at Harry, shot ducked and shot one in return, which he blocked with a mere flick of his wand. Voldemort laughed, a cold heartless laugh, as Harry threw two more spells at him.

"You will lose Harry Potter. You will always lose." He shot a spell at Harry, which hit him in the stomach and made his double over while Ron started to struggle harder, punching two Death Eaters in the face before they got him under control again, putting him in a Binding Spell.

Voldemort shot another curse at Harry, catching him in his shoulder and making him stumble back a few feet while Voldemort kept on laughing, the Death Eaters behind him watching and laughing at the view. Harry gritted his teeth and sent a shower of curses at Voldemort, all of which just bounced off of his invisible shield. Voldemort then threw curse after curse at Harry, making him fall to his knees, bleeding and breathing heavily.

"Say goodbye Harry Potter," Voldemort said, raising his wand to Harry just as a rustle sounded behind him. The Death Eaters and Voldemort turned around just in time to see a silver wolf covered and matted in red blood jump over a Death Eater and land in front of the group of cloaked figures.

Before anyone could move, Nagini shot out and attacked the bloody and injured werewolf, her mouth open revealing venomous fangs. The wolf lunged, her head tilted to the side and her mouth open. The snake's fangs were just about to sink into the wolf's shoulder when the wolf caught Nagini by the neck, biting down hard and ripping the entire head off.

A black cloud of smoke exploded from the headless snake while a face formed in the smoke, its mouth open in a silent scream. The smoke disappeared as soon as the silver wolf jumped through it, her mouth open and paws extended as she jumped at Voldemort.

Voldemort reaching into his robe quickly and just as her fur started to brush his skin, he stabbed something sharp and shiny into her stomach. The wolf howled in pain and landed with a thud at Voldemort's feet. He kicked the wolf, making her roll a few feet away, her whines getting weaker and weaker as blood slowly began to spread across her belly fur.

"No," Harry whispered, his eyes on the silver wolf.

"You see Harry Potter…not even your Mudblood beast can stop me! And now you will pay for everything you have done."

"No," Harry said, his voice getting louder.

"And now Harry Potter, you will join her!" Voldemort shouted.

"NO!" Harry screamed. Power pulsated off of him in one giant wave, making Voldemort stumble backwards.

"NOOOO!" Harry shouted again, pointing his wand at Voldemort. A bright light exploded from Harry's wand, hitting Voldemort in the chest and making him fall to him knees. Voldemort screamed and clutched his chest, his movements slow and his eyes wide in pain and disbelief. Voldemort looked at his hands, his skin starting to peel away in small flakes that looked like little grains of sand.

He screamed as his face started to break apart into small grains of skin and flesh. His scream soon became silent though as his mouth started to fall apart while the entire left side of his body started to turn into small grains, floating away as the wind picked up. His red eyes locked on Harry's while the rest of his body was carried away in the wind.

The Death Eaters stared at the spot where their master had once stood. They all glanced at each other for a split second before they all apparated away in multiple clouds of black smoke.

Harry didn't even bother to try to capture them; he just let them go. He just ran to Hermione, sliding on his knees to her side. Ron dropped to her other side just as Harry rolled the wolf on her back. The knife was in deep, with only the handle sticking out, and Harry could see the flesh around it was blackened and burnt.

The wolf whined and looked at Harry, chocolate brown swirling in the black eyes before the entire eye was a familiar brown color. The wolf's body started to shrink, the bone cracking while the hair disappeared back into the skin, the hair on her head turning a dark brown color.

The wounds that were on the wolf knitted themselves back together and the skin around the knife looked like it was trying to heal but failing. Soon enough, Hermione was lying in between Ron and Harry, blood still covering her and the knife still in her stomach.

Harry quickly pulled the knife out while Ron removed his robe, wrapping it around Hermione's naked form. Hermione weakly turned her head to face Harry, her mouth and neck completely coated in dried blood.

"I'm sorry Harry," she whispered, her voice hoarse and barely audible. Harry clutched her cold hand tightly and a tear slid down his cheek. Hermione weakly reached her arm up and wiped the tear away before letting her arm fall to the ground again. Hermione slowly closed her eyes, feeling herself slowly slipping into darkness.

The last thing she heard was Harry's screaming voice.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Yay! The chapter is finally up! This is the longest one so far and I'm very sad to say that there is only one more chapter. I will hopefully get it up soon and will probably get it up before school starts (ugghh!) I got this one out as fast as I could and it surprisingly only took two days to write but I wanted to get it out before Hurricane Irene came (stupid name I think). I'm guessing that the power will be out and my computer's battery wouldn't last as long as I would need it so right now, I am very happy that I got it done. But anyway, I hope you all enjoy this very much and I just want to mention that you guys are awesome!**


	30. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: I will never ever own Harry Potter, for I am not J. K. Rowling.

* * *

><p>She was surrounded by black, like she was in a room with no lights whatsoever. She tried to look around, to find anything, to see anything. But there was nothing- she was just surrounded by perilous black.<p>

She twisted her head around and squinted her eyes. A fire, small but noticeable, suddenly ignited, flickering proudly in the distance, like a small candle in the dark. She stepped or perhaps floated forward (she didn't know) to the light and watched at it started to grow. She inched closer yet she found it hard to move.

Yet closer she got, the more the flame grew into a tremendous fire, twisting and curling at the top. She inched closer, the flame eating the blackness in from of her, hurting her eyes yet she could not look away.

She could feel its warmth, a comforting feeling that chased away the fear and the dark. The fire grew bigger still and she found it getting slightly easier to walk- or float- too. She neared the fire, standing close to it so that it lit up her pale skin, making it look like there was an orange shield around her, wrapping around her body. Just as the fire started to touch her –without pain- it exploded around her, consuming her with brilliant orange light that turned into a pure white.

Then she felt something soft under her hands and around her body, something making her warm. She felt something squishy and soft behind her head, elevating her slightly. She opened her eyes before shutting them both quickly.

Light. White light. Blinding her and making her eyes hurt. This time, she opened them much more slowly, blinking at least a dozen times before she found her eyes growing accustom to the light. She let her eyes take in everything around her while her nose breathed in the air around her.

The place smelled clean and she could smell different potions in the air. _Okay, _she though, _so I'm definitely in a hospital or something._ She looked around, afraid to move her head to much, and let her eyes do most of the moving.

The room was white and she saw a chair next to her bed and a table on the other side, loaded with potions and bandages. The door leading out of her room was open but yet she saw no one out in the hallway.

She licked her dry lips and looked down. She was in a hospital gown and blankets were wrapped securely around her. She pushed up against the soft sheets, trying to sit herself up. Only something was tight around her stomach and it scratched her skin but that wasn't the reason why she gasped.

A burning pain, right in the center of her stomach ignited up, making her gasp in pain and clutch her tightly wrapped stomach with one hand while she slumped back down into the pillows behind her. She closed her eyes tightly, waiting for the pain to calm a bit.

"I should have warned you not to move," a voice sounded to her side. She opened her eyes and shot her head to the side. There, leaning against the doorframe, was Remus Lupin. Hermione let out a shaky breath and breathed deeply to try to calm her rapidly beating heart.

"Sorry," he muttered, walking around her bed and taking his place in the seat next to her on her right. He looked tired but relieved nonetheless.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Like I got stabbed in the stomach," Hermione replied, making to sit up again but this time, she moved much, much slower. And even then, the pain was there but it was more like a dull throb.

"That's because you did," he responded. Hermione gave him a confused look and scrunched up her face. After a few seconds of silence, Hermione's face changed into a look of realization.

"The full moon. Voldemort. A silver knife," she whispered, her eyes widening as she started to get flashed of what had happened.

"So you remember?" Lupin asked, his eyes on her.

"Bits and pieces but yes. And…" Her face fell into a look of horror, "Oh my God! Professor, I'm so sorry. You know I didn't meat to attack you. God! Did I hurt you? Shit, I'm so sorry-"

"Honestly Hermione, I haven't been you professor for years," He joked, trying to calm her a bit. "And you don't have to apologize. I completely understand Hermione," he said, looking somewhat shocked yet slightly amused at Hermione's cursing.

Hermione looked down at her hands and opened her mouth to respond again but shut it closed silently. She looked up at Lupin in confusion.

"How did you know, Prof-…Remus?" she asked, the name sounding weird on her tongue.

"Honestly, it took me a while but I got the first clue when you attacked her in that forest for the first time."

"Shit…I'm sorry Remus." Lupin shook his head.

"You don't have to apologize for everything Hermione." Hermione nodded slightly and looked down again while silence surrounded the two once more.

"Is Voldemort gone?" Hermione asked suddenly.

"Yes," Lupin said, "But most of the Death Eaters escaped. Hogwarts is pretty beat up to but it's nothing that can't be fixed."

Hermione nodded and then looked around the room again. "Where are we?"

"St. Mungo's. You've been unconscious for about two days."

"Two days!" Hermione looked at Lupin with disbelief and he nodded.

"Yes, we brought you here right after Harry brought you back to the castle. Your injury was too serious and Poppy didn't have the right equipment. Harry wouldn't leave you side, you know. I finally dragged him out so he could get some food. I don't think he ate for the entire time you've been unconscious. I told him I would stay here with you while he got something to eat. By the way, are you hungry or anything?"

Hermione shook her head, feeling guilt well up inside her and she looked away, pretending to take interest in the window on her right that had white curtains falling in front of it, though they still let a little sliver of the remaining sunlight in her room. After about a minute of silence, Lupin spoke.

"I should probably tell Harry you're up," Lupin said, standing from the chair. Hermione nodded and he gave her a small smile, which she returned, before he walked out of the room, his footsteps echoing down the corridor as he went.

Hermione leaned against her pillows, staring at her unmarked hands. She looked around to the table next to her._ Not even a book in sight, _she though randomly before she heard pounding footsteps and the squeak of trainers on a tiled corridor.

She sat up a bit and looked over at the door just as Harry, Ron, and Ginny appeared, their breathing slightly heavy from their run. Harry immediately rushed up and hugged her, not to tightly though as he tried to not irritate her wound, which she appreciated. She hugged back and smiled, breathing him in and taking comfort in his warmth and smell.

"I'm so glad your okay," Harry whispered to her, his breath tickling her ear. He let go slowly after about a minute and gave her a smile before taking the seat in which Lupin had previously sat in. Ginny came up and hugged her eagerly, a little less gently than Harry though Hermione didn't really mind; she just hugged back.

Ron came up and hugged her comfortingly before he brought a chair (which was against the wall next to the door) beside her bed and sat down, just like Ginny had done. They all looked tired and Ron's and Ginny's eyes were bloodshot while Ginny's were red, like she had been crying frequently. But then again, she probably didn't look like a princess either.

"So how are you feeling Hermione?" Ginny asked, her voice sounding a little distant.

"I'm feeling a little tired and my stomach still hurts a bit but other than that I'm okay."

"Tired! How are you tired! You've been sleeping for like two days!" Ron exclaimed. Hermione rolled her eyes and grinned slightly.

"It wasn't a really fitful sleep Ronald." Ron blushed a little, his ears becoming an angry red, and rubbed him neck. "How are you guys?" Hermione asked.

"Much better now knowing that you're okay," Harry said from her right side, "You almost died Hermione. You had all of us scared to death."

Hermione looked down at her hands, feeling guilty once more. Silence swarmed around the group and the only sound was Ron's chair cuffing the ground slightly as he shifted in his seat.

"So Voldemort's really gone," Hermione said, looking up from her hands about a minutes later.

"Yeah and it wasn't a pretty sight," Ron said while Harry nodded along. Then more silence. Hermione cleared her throat a little and opened her mouth.

"Look…I just want to apologize for not telling you guys about…well you know. I was just scared and confused and-" Harry cut her off.

"We understand Hermione. You don't need to apologize for anything." Hermione nodded and spoke again.

"And I want to apologize for trying to attack you guys… all of you. I…I didn't mean it."

"Hermione, we know that it wasn't you doing that," Ginny said.

"And besides," Ron said, smiling a little while he got up, "No harm done," he announced as he spun in a quick circle as if to show Hermione that he was uninjured before he sat back down again. Hermione breathed in relief and nodded.

Ron looked down at the watch on his wrist and sighed, looking over at Ginny before he looked over at Hermione. "I'm really sorry," he said to Hermione while standing up,"But I told mum that were would be home before 6. We'll come back tomorrow though, bright and early, so don't worry," he joked, although it seemed a little half-hearted.

Hermione smiled and nodded, saying good-bye to the two as they walked out, Ron's arm around Ginny as she leaned into him, almost for comfort.

"What's wrong with them?" She asked, concerned as soon as they were all the way down the corridor. "They seem a little…distant." She looked back at Harry and Harry sighed and looked up from his hands.

"Bill died," he said, causing Hermione's eyes to widen and a small gasp to leave her throat.

"Are they alright? I'm mean of course they're not but… I didn't even tell them how sorry I am," she babbled.

"Relax Hermione, they know you didn't know. They just need a little time alone with their family. Everything has been pretty stressful on everyone."

"Who else Harry?" Hermione asked, her eyes shining. Harry sighed.

"There were a lot…the Patil twins, Dean, Mad-Eye, Malfoy, Hagrid…" he trail off and Hermione looked away, a few tears sliding down her cheeks. She was honestly surprised more tears didn't come out; she supposed that she was mostly in shock right now.

Harry turned her head with warm hands and wiped the tears off with his thumbs before hugged her tightly. She hugged back just as hard, her head on his shoulder. They broke apart after a few quiet minutes and Harry switched from the chair next to her bed to sitting facing her on her bed.

"I really am sorry that I didn't tell you Harry. I was scared about what would happen. I was scared about how others would act. I was scared that I would hurt someone." Hermione looked at him, her eyes glassy and shining, and her voice thick with emotion.

"I'm sorry I broke my promise Harry. I promised that I would help you and I didn't. I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you. I'm sorry I ran away. I'm so sorry Harry."

Harry looked down at her and gave her a weak smile.

"Honestly Hermione, you have nothing to be sorry for." His smile vanished and he looked down at his hands, turning away slightly. "I feel like I am responsible for all of this."

"Harry you know you had nothing to do with this," Hermione cut in. Harry shook his head.

"But I did Hermione. Voldemort was after you because you were my best friend. All of those people died because of me." He looked at her, his voice strained. "You almost died because of me."

"Harry," Hermione said gently yet there was a hint of anger that slipped through, "You had nothing to do with any of this. You are a victim like everyone else. Everything happened because of that snake-like bastard." Harry smiled a bit at Hermione's words.

"And I am sorry for not being there Harry," Hermione said again, her voice soft and sincere. Silence came again but it was a comfortable silence.

"Hermione? Why were you afraid?" Harry asked suddenly, breaking the silence and chasing it away again.

"I was afraid of how people would act," Hermione mumbled quietly.

"Hermione, you know people here love you. No one would be afraid of you or anything."

"Honestly Harry," Hermione said, looking at her hands, "How could anyone love a monster like me?"

Harry reached out, both hand on the side of her face. He pushed her head up gently so that she was looking directly at him and before Hermione could ask what he was doing, his lips connected with hers firmly. Hermione's heart stopped and her eyes widened. It took her a few seconds to grasp what was going on but as soon as she did, she closed her eyes and responded.

They broke away slowly after a few more magnificent seconds and Harry looked at Hermione as her eyes fluttered open. Green met brown as their eyes connected, Harry's hands still holding her head.

"That's how," he whispered softly and Hermione felt herself smile before their lips met again.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So this is the final chapter *sobs into hands* This is my first time in writing a romantic scene as well so I'm still new at it but I hope I did a good job. I know that I got this out super quickly but I was expecting that the "big" Hurricane Irene would knock out my power for days but in the area where I live, all I got was a few leaves in my pool and a very soggy lawn, though I will keep everyone who was hit pretty hard by this storm in my thoughts. Hardly anything happens in New Jersey anyway but as a result, I was able to get this out. **

**Also, summer is almost over (I have, I think, 9 days left) and so far, I have no clue how busy I will be but this will not be the last time you see me. I have a few ideas floating around in the mess I call my head but I have nothing set in stone yet. Hopefully, you will see a new story pop up so I'm going to tell you all right now, keep checking my profile to see if I have anything new.**

**I would also like to thank everyone who had the guts to review, add this story to their favorites or to their story alerts, and/or add me to their favorite authors and author alert. And I would like to thank anyone who had the audacity to click on my story and to read it, even if you didn't like it. You guys gave me the motivation and inspiration to keep writing.**

**Thank you! And remember, keep checking my profile! And I give you all permission to PM me until my computer explodes if I don't get a story out in a few months or if you even want to give me a story suggestion. I promise, if you PM me or something, I will respond.**

**Thank you all again! You guys are all amazing!**

**-SilverWolfAnimagus17**


End file.
